Święty Mikołaj z Myry w wielkich formach muzycznych klasycyzmu, romantyzmu i pierwszej połowy XX wieku. Zarys problematyki
Saint Nicholas of Myra in the Great Musical Forms of the Classicism, Romantic and First Half of the 20th Century. Outline of the Issue

Summary/Abstract: This article attempts to present a selection of great musical forms from the Classical, Romantic and First Half of the 20th Century periods dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Myra (d. 345). We are thinking here first of all of the Classicist mass by Joseph Haydn (1772), which confirms the liturgical veneration of the saint from Myra, as well as the French comic opera (de Piis, Stapleton, 1792), regarded, albeit perhaps somewhat excessively, as an attempt to ridicule the veneration of St Nicholas. The material gathered for this study confirms, however, that this saint has become deeply rooted in the consciousness and piety of France (the sanctuary of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port in Lorraine, sculptures, church stained-glass windows), as evidenced by 19th and 20th-century oratorio and cantata compositions linked to the legend of St Nicholas, the three children and the cruel butcher (Ropartz, Massenet, Mortarieu, Sivry, Jongen, Souris), as well as instrumental works inspired by this legendary narrative (Langlais, Cochereau, Vuatz). In these works, St Nicholas is portrayed as a shepherd of the Church, a thaumaturge, and above all as a resurrector, patron of life and protector of children. This theme is takenup and simultaneously expanded upon (drawing on the content of the Greek and Latin lives) in two important musical works from the first half of the 20th century: the Latin oratorio by Father Cesare Franco (1938) and Benjamin Britten’s famous English cantata (1948). These compositions, and in particular Britten’s work, which remains extremely popular to this day, have left a significant mark on Western musical culture, reminding us that Nicholas of Myra is: a bishop, a caring guardian of his flock, a man of prayer, a miracle-worker, a powerful intercessor with God, a model of humility and patience, andthe patron of works of mercy.

• Details
• Contents