Music
From the musical 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 Tomasz Klonowski (1805–1876). This arrangement is written for a four voice mixed choir. The melody is captured in a four measure phrase. Through contemporary times, this anthem, although no longer the anthem of Poland, often accompanies religious and national ceremonies.
As far as the text is analyzed, it is part of a 13th century rhymed Latin history of St. Stanislas, authored by 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.
Read more about this topic: Gaude Mater Polonia
Famous quotes containing the word music:
“Who that has heard a strain of music feared then lest he should speak extravagantly any more forever?”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“How little it takes to make us happy! The sound of a bagpipe.—Without music life would be a mistake. The German even imagines God as singing songs.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“People today are still living off the table scraps of the sixties. They are still being passed around—the music and the ideas.”
—Bob Dylan [Robert Allen Zimmerman] (b. 1941)