Church Music Department A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

This programme from the Church Music Department focuses on the most outstanding and, musically speaking, richest part of the ecclesiastical year. Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday and culminating in the Easter festivities, was always the most important moment of the year for those engaged in music service for the church. At this time, the order of service differs from that which continues through the rest of the year; musically, singers and instrumentalists performed early vocal material and related polyphonic movements, folk hymns and organ music with particular attention, giving their very best, while composers from all ages compiled works for Holy Week with the greatest attention to detail and utmost respect for traditions. This is also how it was during the time of Protestantism; the early Protestant liturgy retained many elements of the common heritage. Liturgical and church music reforms launched in the 19th century attempted to return to the order of ceremony of the early church; the ancient Gregorian heritage and the Renaissance vocal polyphonic ideal built on this. Composers wrote their material for Holy Week in this spirit.
The programme – following the Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday ceremonial order – includes the most important movements of each day. The compilation not only presents the specificities of the festive period but it also serves as a journey into the history of church music, since it includes rich and varied material from the vocal and instrumental music (primarily organ music) of several centuries. This concert by students and teachers of the Church Music Department features Gregorian music, medieval polyphony, Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic and contemporary works from both the Catholic and Protestant traditions.