De profundis

The album De profundis, recorded by The NFM Choir conducted by Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny, features psalms by Polish composers active in the 20th and 21st centuries: Marcin Tadeusz Łukaszewski, Andrzej Koszewski, Miłosz Bembinow, Marek Jasiński, Romuald Twardowski, Józef Świder, Michał Zieliński, Andrzej Bielarzewski, Paweł Łukaszewski, and Łukasz Urbaniak.

Year of release: 2016

Publishers: National Forum of Music, CD Accord

Conductor: Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny

Performers: NFM Choir

If we assume that the basic determinants of the so-called new music are exploration and originality, it can be expected that today, at the turn of the millennium, composers will turn away from tradition and classical techniques. Meanwhile, choral work, although naturally less susceptible to experimentation, is still in good shape. This assumption is confirmed by Polish choral works, which strongly fit into the diverse and colourful landscape of European choral music. On this album, in addition to names that are icons of Polish choral music, we also find lesser-known artists. Just like in David’s Psalter, there is a galaxy of creative visions, different temperaments, different individual stories and compositional experiences. The more or less traditional texture used, sometimes archaisations, sonoristic, pointilistic or aleatoric elements, are subordinated to one superior value, which is the biblical psalm text and the desire to commune through it with the Supreme, who appears as the ultimate source and goal.

Like those in the Book of Psalms – authentic and unyielding, just like them created and sung with all one’s being, with love: omne quod spirat, laudet Dominum! Psalms.

Let their passion be shared by the listeners.

Prof Marta Kierska-Witczak

Awards: Fryderyk 2017 in the Album of the Year: Choral, Oratorio and Opera Music category