Sources of works by Franciszek Lilius discovered in collections in Poland and abroad

Marek Bebak

Abstract

This article was written as part of the research project ‘Franciszek Lilius: His life and work in the context of his times’, financed by the National Science Centre on the basis of decision no. DEC-2013/09/N/HS2/02344. The author’s aim is to present unknown sources containing compositions by the Cracow chapel-master Franciszek Lilius and to update the available information about the composer’s legacy. In the article, musical and literary sources hitherto not widely known are presented and analysed within the context of Lilius’ legacy in Polish music historiography. Searches conducted in church and secular libraries (in Poland and abroad) in the years 2014–16 led to the discovery of previously unknown sources of an Easter Mass, a requiem and the motet Sacris solemniis by Franciszek Lilius. A comparative analysis of various sources has also made it possible to recreate the manner in which some compositions by Lilius were performed within the environment of the ensembles at Wawel Cathedral in Cracow and the ensemble of the Benedictine Nuns in Sandomierz. It has been discovered that masses and motets by Lilius were popular not only during the composer’s lifetime, but also for many years after his death, in the second half of the seventeenth century and in the eighteenth century, and also that his compositions would often be modified depending on the current needs of an ensemble. The analyses revealed that Lilius’ compositions in stile antico were performed not solely – as hitherto believed – by the Rorantists College, but also by ensembles of mixed forces (CATB) and by Benedictine nuns (CCCB).

In addition, the article brings to light another hitherto ignored part of Lilius’ artistic legacy, namely, occasional poetry: on one hand, he set poetry by other writers; on the other, he himself wrote odes, which he dedicated to his patrons.