• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: O Magnum mysterium
  +Tarquinio Merula: Benedicta tu; Capriccio cromatico im 1. Ton; La Lusignuola; Canzone II; Chi prend'amor a gioco; Folle e ben che si crede
  +Annibale Stabile: Quam pulchrae sunt
  +Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina / Francesco Rognoni: Vestiva i colli
  +Luca Marenzio: Magnificat a 8
  +Diomedes Cato: Canzon Diomedis
  +Asprillo Pacelli: Beata es, Virgo Maria
  +Giovanni Francesco Anerio: O quam suavis
  +Marco Scacchi: Vobis datum est
  +Bartlomiej Pekiel: Dulcis amor Jesu
  +Giovanni Battista Cocciola: Cantabant sancti: Laetemur hodie
  +Anonymus: O, vere digna hostia

"Rome to Vilnius" is a new investigative insight into Lithuania's cultural heritage: the music of the Wasa court in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

It reflects the influence of the greatest masters of the Roman polyphonic school in the musical world of Poland and Lithuania and shows the Vasa court as a place of advanced music in 16th and 17th century Europe. At the end of the 16th century, during the period of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sigismund III. Vasa was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Every year he spent several months in Vilnius, and it is reported that he always traveled with his musicians. Sigismund III, who was himself a musician and music lover, was not satisfied with the standard of music in the royal chapel and decided to invite Italian musicians to improve the musical life of his court.

Italy exerted the greatest influence on music in Europe at the time, not only because of the different styles that originated there (polyphony, polychoral music, monody, opera, etc.), but also because of the achievements of the composers who wrote in these styles.

We can clearly distinguish two main schools of music in Italy: the Venetian school, founded by Adrian Willaert with the new polychoral style performed in the Basilica of San Marco, and the polyphonic Roman school of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, one of the most influential musicians of the 16th century and one of the greatest masters of the art of polyphony of all time.

Sigismund III decided to hire the best musicians from Rome, and from 1595 to 1649 all the bandmasters at the Vasa court in Poland and Lithuania were Italian. Most of them were not only prominent members of the Roman school, but also former pupils of Palestina.

The composers represented on this recording were among them, with the exception of Giovanni Battista Cocciola, who was Kapellmeister at the court of Vilnius under Lev Sapieha.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the court of Vilnius was led by Lev Sapieha (Leonas Sapiega), the crown chancellor of Sigismund III. Vasa (the country's highest official after the king himself). Sapieha was a music expert and was entrusted with the position of administrator of the royal chapel.

He had his own chapel at his residence in Vilnius. The "Sapieha" album is a compilation of pieces with a sacred function. It mentions neither the compiler nor the composers, but is a testimony to the vitality of musical culture in Lithuania in the first half of the 17th century.

Further information:
Recorded in October 2023, Vilnius
The booklet in English contains liner notes by the director as well as his biography and one of the ensemble.

"Rome to Vilnius" is a new investigative insight into Lithuania's cultural heritage: the music of the Vasa court in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It reflects the influence of the greatest masters of the Roman polyphonic school in the musical world of Poland and Lithuania and shows the Vasa court as a place of advanced music in 16th and 17th century Europe. At the end of the 16th century, during the period of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sigismund III was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sigismund III, who was himself a musician and music lover, was not satisfied with the standard of music in the royal chapel and decided to invite Italian musicians to improve the musical life of his court. He engaged the best musicians from Rome, and from 1595 to 1649 all the bandmasters at the Vasa court in Poland and Lithuania were Italian. Most of them were not only prominent members of the Roman school, but also former pupils of Palestrina.

Among the composers represented on this new recording are Palestrina (probably 1525-1594), Merula (1595-1665), Marenzio (1553 or 1554-1599), Cato (after 1560 until after 1618), Pacelli (ca. 1570-1623), Anerio (1560-1614), Cocciola (2nd half of the 16th century until after 1625) and Pękiel (after 1600 until ca. 1670).

Beautiful performances by Lithuanian soloists, including Renata Dubinskaitė (mezzo-soprano), whose previous recording for Brilliant Classics with works by Barbara Strozzi (BC 96436) received 5-star reviews in the international press. The instrumental group includes cornett, trombone and organ.