SCHOLA GREGORIANA PRAGENSIS

In May, we will be celebrating the 700th anniversary of the birth of Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, deemed by the Czechs one of the most significant figures in their history and dubbed the “Father of the Czech nation”.

The renowned Schola Gregoriana Pragensis ensemble, in tandem with the soprano Hana Blažíková, have marked this momentous anniversary with a new album, titled Carolus IV. – Rex et Imperator (SU4193–2).

Under the reign of Charles IV. (1316–1378), Prague acquired its magical beauty. The astonishing wealth of art and architecture that originated at the time is evident at first glance, yet the King also attended to the blossoming of the city’s spiritual and cultural life. Besides the Saint Vitus Cathedral, the most prominent centre of music, variegated genres also flourished at the Prague University (Latin sacred songs and French ars nova) and at the Emmaus Monastery, founded by Charles with the aim to pursue the Slavonic liturgy. Czech songs (The Bundle of Myrrh, The Wood Clads Itself with Leaves), which linked up to the tradition of German Minnesang, were performed in Prague too.

Generally known is Charles IV’s reverence for saints and the attendant passion for collecting relics of holy men. The King even initiated the introduction of the Feast Day of the Holy Lance and Nails, part of whose chant, Office, is featured on the new album, recorded by the renowned Schola Gregoriana Pragensis and the feted soprano Hana Blažíková.

The chants and polyphonic songs dating from Charles IV.’s era are supplemented by secular music, with the result being a fascinating picture of the music performed during the reign of Charles IV, showing all its forms and colours.

“I am pleased that in this project we had the chance to join forces with the superlative singer Hana Blažíková, who is also a brilliant Gothic harp player, the outstanding flautist Jakub Kydlíček, and other brilliant instrumentalists,” says David Eben, Artistic Director of Schola Gregoriana Pragensis, adding: “We aimed for this album to serve as a sort of musical counterpart to the colourful Gothic stained glass windows from the Charles era. We strove to capture the variegated, multi-layered nature of the 14th-century musical culture.”