Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50 Aleksander Kunach, Dawid Biwo, Polski Chór Kameralny & Jan Łukaszewski

• Slawomir Czarnecki (b. 1949):
• 1 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: I. Invitatorium 02:03
• 2 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: II. Hymnus Vexílla Regis 10:44
• 3 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: III. Antiphona 1 01:21
• 4 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: IV. Psalmus 146 - Laudáte Dóminum 07:26
• 5 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: V. Antiphona 1a 01:03
• 6 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: VI. Antiphona 2 01:14
• 7 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: VII. Psalmus 147 - Lauda Jerúsalem 05:46
• 8 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: VIII. Antiphona 2a 01:01
• 9 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: IX. Antiphona 3 00:49
• 10 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: X. Canticum - Christus Iesus 06:33
• 11 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: XI. Antiphona 3a 01:03
• 12 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: XII. Responsorium breve 03:26
• 13 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: XIII. Antiphona 4 01:17
• 14 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: XIV. Magnificat 07:38
• 15 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: XV. Antiphona 4a 01:07
• 16 Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50: XVI. Cantus Finalis 03:57
• Total Runtime 56:28

Info for Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50

Czarnecki as born in 1949 in Jelenia Góra. In 1963-1969, he attended the State Music School in Cz 281;stochowa as a piano class student. It was also there where he took contact with Prof. Romuald Twardowski, with whom he had his first composition lessons. In 1969-1974, he studied composition at the Warsaw Higher State School of Music (currently the Chopin University of Music) in the class of Prof. Piotr Perkowski and Prof. Romuald Twardowski. Vespers for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis) is a composition that is thoroughly imbued with the Christian tradition. It is almost a complete form of the evening breviary prayer of the Catholic Church written in Latin but already according to the post-conciliar liturgy. The present album features a complete recording of the said work, dedicated to His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Aleksander Kunach, tenor
Dawid Biwo, bass
Polski Chor Kameralny
Instrumental Ensemble of the Polish B
Jan Lukaszewski, conductor

Aleksander Kunach
A graduate of the Vocal Faculty of the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw in the class of prof. Jerzy Knetig. He continued his studies at Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid under the supervision of prof. Tom Krause.

While still a student, he won the Special Award at the 5th Intercollegiate Polish Song Competition in Warsaw, a year later he became a laureate of the Vocal Competition in Duszniki - Zdrój, in 2006 he was awarded the Young Artists Competition organized by the Culture Foundation, and in 2009 he was the winner of the Third Prize and Prize Special at the IV International Mozart Competition in Prague.

Since 2010, he has been a regular guest at the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk, and in 2012 he established cooperation with the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Bialystok. In 2015, he made his debut on the stage of the Grand Theater of the National Opera in Warsaw in the role of Damazy in Moniuszko's The Haunted Manor. He has many opera parts in the repertoire, including roles: Tamino in The Magic Flute, Titus in the Grace of Titus, Ferrand in Cosi fn Tutte Mozart, Count Almaviva in Barber of Seville, Don Ramiro in Cinderella Rossini, and Tom Rakewell in Rakes progress. He gives concerts in Poland and abroad. He performed with such conductors as Jacek Kaspszyk, Michał Klauza, Jerzy Salwarowski, Łukasz Borowicz, Paul McCreesh, Paul Goodwin, Benjamin Bayl, and Friedrich Haider.

It is endowed with a beautiful, lyrical tenor with an exceptionally clean, soft and full-bodied sound.

Dawid Biwo
Graduated F. Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and Academy of Music in Cracov (with honours). ​

Dawid Biwo is a prize winner of many all- Polish vocal competitions (1st prize in M. Karlowicz's Vocal Competition in Cracov, 1st prize in L. Rozycki's Competition in Gliwice, 3th prize in. F. Platówna's Competition in Wroclaw, special prize in Polish Art Song Competition in Warsaw). He was also a holder of a scholarship of Austrian Young Music Forum 2010 under the auspices of Austrian Culture Forum.

In 2017 he was a finalist of Heraclea Darclee Competition in Braila (Romania),a finalist of International Singing Competition in Katowice and a 1- prize winner of IV Singing Competitoion in Drezdenko.

Dawid Biwo's stage debut took place in an university performance of B. Galuppi L'amante di tutte in Warsaw Chamber Opera.

Since that time, young artist has been creating characters in such performances: W.A. Mozart The Magic Flute (Papageno) and P. Bowles Yerma (Victor) in Cracov Opera House . He performed also the main roles in H. Purcell's The Fairy Queen, G. Donizetti L'elisire d'amore (Dulcamara), J. Strauss Die Fledermaus (Frank), A.Sacchini La contadina in corte (Berto), J.A. Hasse Arminio (Tullo), J.P. Rameau Les indes galantes (Osmin, Ali). ​

Big part of his musical interests represent ancient music, oratorio and romantic art songs. On his account in that areas he has a participation in many festivals, eg. Utrecht Oude Musik Festival, Bach Woche Viena, Tartini Festival in Piran, Early Music Festival New York . ​

From the big variety of oratorios and cantatas he performed, the most important are: J. S. Bach St.Matthew Passion, Magnificat, cantatas Ich habe genug, Der Friede sei mit dir; G.F. Haendel Acis Galatea e Polifemo, Messiah, Hercules, Israel in Egypt, Utrecht Te Deum, Brockes Passion; W.A. Mozart Requiem, Coronation Mass; J. Haydn The Seasons; S.Moniuszko Widma; A. Dvorak Missa in D. ​

In his artistic possesions Dawid Biwo has also song recitals (including F. Chopin's Songs Recital under the auspices of The RMF Classic Radio, K. Szymanowski art songs recitals) and opera galas (in Cracov Philharmony or in St.Moniuszko Theater in Kudowa- Zdroj).

As a soloist, he has been cooperating with many polish famous conductors (eg. Miroslaw Jacek Blaszczyk, Jerzy Swoboda, Jan Tomasz Adamus, Pawel Przytocki, Paul Esswood, Andrzej Borzym) and ensembles (eg. Capella Cracoviensis, Ensamble Barocum, Risonanza, Il Giardino d'Amore, {oh!} Historical Orchestra, Harmonia Sacra, Diletto). ​

Participated in many music courses leaded by such professors: Andrzej Dobber, Stephan MacLeold, Helena Lazarska, Ryszard Karczykowski, Aleksander Teliga, Daniel Kotliński. ​

Dawid Biwo has been improving his competences in acting by well- known polish directors: W. Zawodzinski, G. Chrapkiewicz, R. Peryt, I.Stokalska, L. Adamik. ​

As a soloist, he gave concerts on the stages of USA, Canada, Slovenia, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany.

Jan Lukaszewski
has come to be accepted as one of Europe’s most accomplished choral music specialists. He is conductor, artistic director and director general of Polski Chór Kameralny. Much in demand as a guest conductor, he e.g. regularly works with the Polish Radio Choir as well as directing numerous projects both in Poland and abroad. His main artistic interests lie in the fields of romantic and of contemporary music, and, especially in connection with Polski Chór Kameralny he has gained a reputation of being able to make possible the impossible and in a very short time, indeed, preparing musically valid interpretations of even the most complex of works. Hence the number of premier performances directed by him is vast. In Poland, Jan £ukaszewski is regarded as one of the few that propagate the music of such composers as Schönberg, Messiaen, Xenakis, Globokar, Castiglioni, Takemitsu, R. Strauss, Pepping, Tippett, Ives, and Barber. His abundant recordings for Polish Radio and a multitude of other European stations and for Polish and German Television as well as his numerous other recordings reflect the quality of his work. The high artistic level of Polski Chór Kameralny under his direction time and again inspires composers to write works for unaccompanied choir. Jan Lukaszewski’s work has been acknowledged with numerous awards.

Booklet for Czarnecki: Vesperæ in exaltatione Sanctæ Crucis, Op. 50