Melodies for the Polish Psalter by Mikołaj Gomółka is a collection of 150 four-voice compositions intended as a musical setting for Jan Kochanowski’s poetic translation of the Book of Psalms. It ranks among the most significant works of Polish culture.
Seemingly simple in style, Gomółka’s Melodies… are a true compendium of various musical forms from villanesca or villancico to frottola, canzonetta, villanella, etc. The style of those compositions, mostly homophonic and intended for more than three voices, contains still other musical forms, which can be described as “more instrumental”. They include dances fashionable at the time, such as chaconne, folia, bergamasca, canary, passamezzo, etc.
The performing practice of all these genres, as well as the psalms (also canzonette spirituale and others) was a lot less rigid than we might think today. The musical score of each psalm was really a proposal, opening up the possibility for many different interpretations, i.e. for several voices accompanied by lute, organ or other instruments; for solo voice accompanied by lute, vihuela or other harmonic or melodic instruments. Melodies… could also be accompanied by percussion instruments, since the presence of dance forms can be found in many of Gomółka’s psalms. Those same dances could also be included in the interpretation of Melodies… as ritornelli or preludes.
Mikołaj Gomółka’s work offers rich interpretive possibilities. Its version for lute (by lute we also mean the vihuela and the renaissance guitar) is perhaps the one that lets us approach the text most closely and the one that moves the affections most.

Fernando Reyes

Psalms by Mikołaj Gomółka to words by Jan Kochanowski, arrangements: Fernando Reyes                     

MIKOŁAJ GOMÓŁKA                          

1. Psalm 1: He blessed is who neither loosely treads 4:24
2. Psalm 49: World-dwellers all, give heede to what I saie 3:49
3. Psalm 96: Sing, and let the song be new 4:02
4. Psalm 20: Lett God the Lord heare thee 2:16
5. Psalm 92: O lovely thing, to sing and praises frame o thee, O Lord 2:31
6. Psalm 137: Nigh seated where the river flowes 2:42
7. Psalm 130: From depth of grief 3:56
8. Psalm 77: To thee my crying call 8:34
9. Psalm 7: O Lord, my God, thou art my trusfull stay 4:24
10. Psalm 91: To him the highest keepes 4:45
11. Psalm 99: What if nations rage and frett? 3:22
12. Psalm 118: The Lord is good, you see, and know 6:37
13. Psalm 33: Rejoyce in God, o ye that righteous be 1:51
14. Psalm 29: Ascribe unto the Lord of light 3:20
15. Psalm 47: All people, to Jehovah bring 2:42

Total time:   60:23