Gaude mater Polonia
Encyclopedia
Gaude Mater Polonia was probably the most popular medieval Polish
anthem
, written in the 13th-14th century in memory of saint Stanisław Szczepanowski
, bishop of Kraków
. Polish knights used to sing it after victory in battle, presumably to one of the Gregorian
melodies associated with O Salutaris Hostia
, on which it is based.
came to existence in 1253, along with the canonization
of saint
Stanisław Szczepanowski
(September 8 in Assisi), who died a martyr
s death on April 11, 1079. It is assumed that the first performance of the piece took place on May 8, 1254, during the canonization ceremonies in Kraków
, Poland
.
The author
of the anthem is the first - in music
history - known by name Polish
composer
(and poet
) - Vincent of Kielcz - a Dominican
priest, Cracovian canon
and chaplain of the bishop
Ivon Odrowąż. For a long time he was mistakenly called Vincent of Kielce.
To commemorate the canonization of St. Stanislas
, Vincent wrote “The History of St. Stanislas” in latin
(Dies adet celebris), which contained sung elements. Within the History was the song “Gaude, mater Polonia”, which after time became known as an independent piece. Throughout the years its role grew to become the Kings anthem under the Piast
rulings.
The anthem
became a part of Polish
tradition and its history
, being sung on coronations of Polish Kings, royal marriages, as well as during celebrations of the victory of John III Sobieski
under Vienna
(1683). Kings and military commanders thanked for their successes by singing the anthem Gaude, mater Polonia. The melody has been popular for almost 750 years. It became a key element of the Polish Culture, sung after victories of the Polish Army.
Nowadays Gaude, mater Polonia is sung at most universities
of Poland for the inauguration of the academic year as well as during important national holidays relating to Poland's history.
Vincent of Kielcz is the author of the entire poetic oficium of st. Stanislas. He wrote it in during the times of ruling of prince Bolesław II the Bold. Throughout his entire ruling period of 30 years, Bolesław II the Bold was unable to unite Poland, which had been fragmented into 20 districts over the years. For that exact reason the poet decided to describe the life and accomplishments of bishop Stanislas and the miracles which occurred after his death. The same miracles that people had been speaking of for almost 200 years. The legend says that after the body of St. Stanislas was cut up into pieces, the parts miraculously grew back together to form the whole body again. Eagles were to circle the sky at that time. This legend symbolizes the current state of Poland in those years - split into pieces but hoping to grow back together to form a country again. This uniting of Poland actually took place a couple years after the coronation of St. Stanislas under the rulings of King Wladyslaw I "The Elbow-High".
al aspect, Gaude, mater Polonia holds a unique melodic line, not resembling in any way to those known as latin
anthems. Its melody
has a symmetrical structure, of an arc or bow type, making it a story-type melody, characterized by folk songs. It has an overjoyed yet proud character.
It is most commonly sung in the arrangement
of Teofil Thomas Klowski (1805–1876). This arrangement is written for a four voice
mixed choir
. The melody is captured in a four measure phrase. Until today, this anthem, although no longer the anthem of Poland, often accompanies religious and national ceremonies
.
As far as the lyrics
are analyzed, they are part of a 13th century rhymed latin history of St. Stanislas, who’s author is Vincent of Kielcz. But the melody is originally known as the anthem to St. Dominic "Gaude Mater Ecclesia", having its roots in the Italian Dominicans
. The same melody is shared by a gregorian choral O Salutaris Hostia
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
, written in the 13th-14th century in memory of saint Stanisław Szczepanowski
Stanislaus of Szczepanów
Stanislaus of Szczepanów, or Stanisław Szczepanowski, was a Bishop of Kraków known chiefly for having been martyred by the Polish king Bolesław II the Bold...
, bishop of Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. Polish knights used to sing it after victory in battle, presumably to one of the Gregorian
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
melodies associated with O Salutaris Hostia
O Salutaris Hostia
O salutaris Hostia, "O Saving Host", is a section of one of the Eucharistic hymns written by St Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. He wrote it for the Hour of Lauds in the Divine Office. It is actually the last two stanzas of the hymn Verbum supernum prodiens, and is used for the...
, on which it is based.
History
The AnthemAnthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
came to existence in 1253, along with the canonization
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
of saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Stanisław Szczepanowski
Stanislaus of Szczepanów
Stanislaus of Szczepanów, or Stanisław Szczepanowski, was a Bishop of Kraków known chiefly for having been martyred by the Polish king Bolesław II the Bold...
(September 8 in Assisi), who died a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s death on April 11, 1079. It is assumed that the first performance of the piece took place on May 8, 1254, during the canonization ceremonies in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
The author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of the anthem is the first - in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
history - known by name Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
(and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
) - Vincent of Kielcz - a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priest, Cracovian canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
and chaplain of the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Ivon Odrowąż. For a long time he was mistakenly called Vincent of Kielce.
To commemorate the canonization of St. Stanislas
Stanislaus of Szczepanów
Stanislaus of Szczepanów, or Stanisław Szczepanowski, was a Bishop of Kraków known chiefly for having been martyred by the Polish king Bolesław II the Bold...
, Vincent wrote “The History of St. Stanislas” in latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
(Dies adet celebris), which contained sung elements. Within the History was the song “Gaude, mater Polonia”, which after time became known as an independent piece. Throughout the years its role grew to become the Kings anthem under the Piast
Piast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
rulings.
The anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
became a part of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
tradition and its history
History of Poland
The History of Poland is rooted in the arrival of the Slavs, who gave rise to permanent settlement and historic development on Polish lands. During the Piast dynasty Christianity was adopted in 966 and medieval monarchy established...
, being sung on coronations of Polish Kings, royal marriages, as well as during celebrations of the victory of John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
under Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
(1683). Kings and military commanders thanked for their successes by singing the anthem Gaude, mater Polonia. The melody has been popular for almost 750 years. It became a key element of the Polish Culture, sung after victories of the Polish Army.
Nowadays Gaude, mater Polonia is sung at most universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
of Poland for the inauguration of the academic year as well as during important national holidays relating to Poland's history.
Vincent of Kielcz is the author of the entire poetic oficium of st. Stanislas. He wrote it in during the times of ruling of prince Bolesław II the Bold. Throughout his entire ruling period of 30 years, Bolesław II the Bold was unable to unite Poland, which had been fragmented into 20 districts over the years. For that exact reason the poet decided to describe the life and accomplishments of bishop Stanislas and the miracles which occurred after his death. The same miracles that people had been speaking of for almost 200 years. The legend says that after the body of St. Stanislas was cut up into pieces, the parts miraculously grew back together to form the whole body again. Eagles were to circle the sky at that time. This legend symbolizes the current state of Poland in those years - split into pieces but hoping to grow back together to form a country again. This uniting of Poland actually took place a couple years after the coronation of St. Stanislas under the rulings of King Wladyslaw I "The Elbow-High".
Music
From the musicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
al aspect, Gaude, mater Polonia holds a unique melodic line, not resembling in any way to those known as latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
anthems. Its melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
has a symmetrical structure, of an arc or bow type, making it a story-type melody, characterized by folk songs. It has an overjoyed yet proud character.
It is most commonly sung in the arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
of Teofil Thomas Klowski (1805–1876). This arrangement is written for a four voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
mixed choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. The melody is captured in a four measure phrase. Until today, this anthem, although no longer the anthem of Poland, often accompanies religious and national ceremonies
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
.
As far as the lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
are analyzed, they are part of a 13th century rhymed latin history of St. Stanislas, who’s author is Vincent of Kielcz. But the melody is originally known as the anthem to St. Dominic "Gaude Mater Ecclesia", having its roots in the Italian Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
. The same melody is shared by a gregorian choral O Salutaris Hostia
O Salutaris Hostia
O salutaris Hostia, "O Saving Host", is a section of one of the Eucharistic hymns written by St Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. He wrote it for the Hour of Lauds in the Divine Office. It is actually the last two stanzas of the hymn Verbum supernum prodiens, and is used for the...
.
