Beatus Vir (Gorecki)

Beatus Vir Opus 38, subtitled Psalm for baritone, large mixed chorus and grand orchestra, is a musical psalm setting written by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki in 1979 . The text is drawn from several psalms (143:1,6-10; 31:16; 88:2; 67:7; 34:9) and the title is from the last of these: "Blest is the man that trusteth in Him". The work was premiered on June 9, 1979 in Kraków, Poland with Baritone Jerzy Mechlinski and the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by the composer.

The work was a commission by then-Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (later selected Pope John Paul II) for the commemoration on the 900th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Stanisław. Beatus Vir was intended as the first work in a larger cycle entitled Sancti tui Domine florebunt sicut lilium. No other works of the cycle were completed, however Górecki stated that the next piece in the cycle would be entitled Offertorium.

Górecki spent more time selecting the texts for Beatus Vir than he did composing the music of the work. The Latin text consists of selections from the Book of Psalms and was chosen to "emphasize doubts and supplications" and project the "spiritual and moral aspects of the tragedy of St. Stanisalus… rather than any sort of representational drama."

Górecki indicates the Beatus Vir Psalm is for "Grand" Orchestra of 4 flutes, 4 oboes, 4 B-flat clarinets, 4 bassoons (doubling 2 contrabassoons), 4 B-flat trumpets, 4 horns in F, 4 trombones, 4 tubas (if 4 tubas are unavailable, two of the tuba parts may be played by a 5th and 6th trombone), 2 percussionists, 2 harps and 4-hand piano, and of course, strings. The piece lasts some 29 minutes in performance.

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