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P.G.R. – Polish Psalter

The next journey of the band takes place in time. The Poland of the Renaissance is an age of interesting ideas and great projects, one of them is the Polish Psalter. “At the end of 1579, in the printing house managed by Jan Januszowski in Krakow, the most outstanding work of Jan Kochanowski and all Old Polish literature, „Psałterz Dawidów”, was published. It contained a poetic paraphrase of 150 psalms from the Book of Old Testament Psalms.[…]”
Kochanowski’s translation is therefore not a translation in the sense of a faithful linguistic translation of the original, but a form of modern poetry. Jan Kochanowski suggests musical colaboration for them to Mikołaj Gomółka. This barely after a few months brings 150 psalms in a 4-voice system.
The spirit of polish renaissanse is expressed in this work: National language as carrier of religious essence, rhythms of european dances (Pavane and Galliard), close colaboration of artists from different genres. Usage of natural accents characteristic for polish language.
The same way Grzegorz Rogala – leader of PGR – reworked psalms. Some tunes are played faithfully – each note as in original four voices arrangement, enriched with drums. Than come middlesections which lead to jazz solos with a spice of early-music harmonies, which develope the original idea and lead to common culminations. International personalities which interprete this syncretic concept, makes the music leads audience to the out-of-time areas.

P.G.R. – Polish Psalter performed among others in:
France/ Paris – St. Merry Church
Sweden/Stockholm – Stockholm Jazz Festival
Poland/ Głogów – Głogowskie Międzynarodowe Spotkania Jazzowe / Glogow International Jazz-Meetings
Poland/Czarnolas – Museum of Jan Kochanowski

Album P.G.R. – Polish Psalter was published in 2020 by Ars Sonora, You can purchase it at: www.rogalamusic.com/sklep

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