Wacław z Szamotuł

Wacław z Szamotuł (Szamotuły, near Poznań, c. 1520 – c. 1560, Pińczów), also called Wacław Szamotulski and (in Latin) Venceslaus Samotulinus, was a Polish composer.

Wacław studied first at the Lubrański Academy in Poznań and in 1538 at Kraków University. Wacław Szamotulski, as Wacław of Szamotuły was also known, was a true Renaissance man, educated in such diverse areas as law, mathematics and philosophy—Aristotelian, in particular. In addition to music, he wrote poetry in both Polish and Latin. In 1547 or 1548 he was appointed composer to the court of Sigismund II Augustus. However, he was not required to teach young singers, probably due to difficulties with voice. In 1555 Wacław left Kraków, having received the title of "royal composer." Nevertheless, during Szamotuly's lifetime his music was known outside of Poland (Reese, 748).

He died early, and only a few of his works survive. In the words of Szymon Starowolski, who wrote the first concise biography of Wacław, "If the gods had let him live longer, the Poles would have no need to envy the Italians their Palestrina, Lappi or Vedana."

His motets In te Domine speravi and Ego sum pastor bonus were the first Polish musical compositions to be published abroad. According to Gustave Reese, Wacław's style may be seen in both of these motets; "the constant overlapping of phrases and full-fledged imitative style reveal Franco-Netherlandish influence." (Reese, p. 749).

Motets (Motety)

Songs (Pieśńi)

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