Occasional music and instrumental works of the 17th century from Silesia and East Prussia
The once rich musical culture of the former provinces of Silesia and East Prussia is virtually unknown today. For this concert program, music collections from libraries in Poland, Lithuania, and Russia were examined. A large portion of the discovered repertoire consists of printed music scores, primarily produced for the weddings or funerals of prominent figures.
The musicologist and violinist Cosimo Stawiarski has arranged some of these occasional pieces for concert performance. They offer an interesting glimpse into everyday life in 17th-century East Prussia. These occasional pieces are complemented by instrumental works from the 1672 collection *Fünf Stimmige Syphonien, Sonaten, ein Canzon* (Five-Part Symphonies, Sonatas, a Canzon) by the organist Johann Kessel, published in Oels. Only a single copy of this edition survives; it is now kept in the Library of Congress in Washington.
Instrumentation: Soprano, violin, theorbo, organ, 4 viols. Music: Conrad Matthäi, Johann Weichmann, Heinrich Albert, Johann Kessel, et al.