Jan Dismas Zelenka: Responsoria pro hebdomada sancta; Lamentatio Ieremiae Propheta

Incorporated the prayer times of the Officium on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, particularly the Matins. These services were originally held in the early hours of the morning but were in later centuries transferred to the afternoon of the previous day. Each of these Matins consisted of three nocturnes in which Psalm recitations alternate with readings from the Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah and texts by the theological teacher St Augustine and responses. Over the course of time, the settings of these texts became progressively more elaborate in their polyphony. The popularity of these Matins in Catholic Europe, particularly up to the end of the eighteenth century, was however not limited to their frequently rich musical design; the names given to these services such as "Pumpermetten" or "Finstermetten" accompanied by the customs of hammering on the church pews or the gradual extinguishing of the candles are testament to a great folk tradition. August the Strong's conversion to Catholicism created a demand for ceremonial church services to celebrate Holy Week at the court chapel in Dresden and Jan Dismas Zelenka was commissioned to compose the appropriate music. Zelenka wrote six Lamentationes Jeremia Prophetae ZWV 53 (of which only the first lamentation is included on this CD) and the 27 Responsoria pro hebdomada sancta ZWV 55.The Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704 under the direction of Vaclav Luks have produced a pair of extensive CDs with the firs complete recording of the nine nocturnes of Holy Week within their liturgical context with all lessons in church modes, the Gregorian antiphons and the entire collection of 27 responses from the Responsoria pro hebdomada sancta ZWV 55, conjuring up a comprehensive impression of the celebrations of Holy Week at the Dresden court chapel during the 1720s.

American Record Guide, September / October 2012
But this newest recording quite wins me over. This is the first one to include the three solo-monodic Lectiones for each of the nine Nocturns, save for the very first of them, which is no less than the first of Zelenka's Lamentations set. The listener is thus given a much better sense of the Responsories' liturgical rationale. The vocal forces involve 17 singers, doubled by 10 string players with 3 others on continuo. They bring shifting textures but overall warmth plus clarity to the choral ensemble. Lots of sacred music by Zelenka has made it to discs before, but only this time did I appreciate what a master he was of supple and carefully crafted post-Renaissance polyphony.

Fanfare Magazine, September/October 2012
It is good to see the entire set of services. This is a fine disc and Zelenka fans will enjoy having it as a representation of his early, more conventional contrapuntal style in an accurate setting and order. As it is a series of solemn movements, caution might be exercised by those more used to a more florid and varied style, though perhaps there is a place for this excellent and thoughtful set in their collection.

Notes & Reviews:

Personnel: Jaromír Nosek, Tomás Král (bass voice).

Recording information: Studio Domovina, Prague, Czech Republic (11/2011).

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