Redaktorzy „Cantionale ecclesiasticum” jako kontynuatorzy ksiąg piotrkowskich

Abstract

Cantionale ecclesiasticum is a group of supplementary liturgical books originating on the territory of Poland between 1822 and 1954. They contain a variety of chants that belong to the liturgical Latin repertoire, with some carefully-selected chants in the Polish language added to them. So far, eleven editors of Cantionale ecclesiasticum have been successfully identified, including two congregational (The Congregation of the Mission), and nine diocesan editors (the Poznań, Gniezno, Vilnius, Lviv and Warsaw dioceses). The largest number of Cantionale (eight) was published by the Missionary Priests, and the hymn book by Rev. J. Surzyński enjoyed the greatest popularity among diocesan authors. There is a total of 30 Polish editions of Cantionale ecclesiasticum. All editors claim to have relied on the printed Piotrków Graduals. Examples of substantial affinity with those books can be noticed, for example, in the rites for Holy Week, which are a continuation of customs preserved in Poland, and also in the conveyance of the so-called Piotrków melodies, i.a. in Lamentations. In addition, the Polish chants being introduced in gradually-increasing numbers are a tentative attempt to make reference to the Piotrków Graduals (Resurrection Sunday). Therefore, the editors of hymn books are heirs of the Piotrków Graduals authors and at the same time the precursors of changes that followed the Second Vatican Council.