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Mid Europe Early Music Festival


Meetings with the experience of musicians from East and West Europe.
Encounters between masters and young talents.
Encounters of styles - French, German, Italian. British.
Encounters with architecture that inspired composers....
Encounters of music and science, beauty and thought....


Edition 2023 - Ortus de Polonia - Mikołaj Zieliński, Summit and culmination of the Polish Renaissance in the heart of Europe

This time we invite you to a renaissance garden - Ortus de Polonia, full of extraordinary music, rich in colours and moods of masters from the turn of the century. Among them - Mikołaj Zieleński, known as the "Polish Monteverdi", faithful in his aesthetics to the Gregorian roots of polyphony, and at the same time perfectly wielding the charm of the Venetian polychoral technique of the time.

Anonymous authors of Renaissance tablatures, including the Braniew-Oliwa collection or the one that bears the name of Jan of Lublin, delighted in the volatility and gracefulness of both Polish and Italian or French dances. These dances, by the way, were also seen in their respective choreography and period costumes.

Instruments were a particularly original highlight of this year's Festival: in addition to thecornetto (zinc), renaissance trombones, dulcian and historical bassoon, we saw and heard a renaissance harpsichord and organetto, wooden flutes, violets, Lithuanian birbyné and Estonian kannel.

The concerts in Warmia will be accompanied by readings of texts drawn from our native Benedictine tradition; we will hear meditations by Magdalena Mortęska OSB, a 17th-century Polish spiritual mistress.

We hope that you have been inspired by a walk through the Ortus de Polonia - a garden full of beauty, harmony and peace. This truly Benedictine garden, the fruit of our Polish experience of faith and history has opened its doors to you....

Subsidised by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Fund for the Promotion of Culture - a state earmarked fund within the framework of the 'Music' programme, implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance.


Programme of the 2023 edition

  • 13 August, 6pmThe extraordinary world of Renaissance and Baroque viol.

    Wąchock, Cistercian Abbey: Prologue Krzysztof and Anna Firlus
  • 25 August, 7pmA Polish-Lithuanian-Estonian programme of music from the Jagiellonian era around the Braniewo tablature

    Lidzbark Warmiński, Church of St Apostles Peter and Paul

    . Reversio ensemble: Marek Toporowski, Darius Klisys, Irmina Obońska, Julia Karpeta, Katarzyna Czubek, Tomasz Sobaniec, Anna-Liisa Eller

  • 26 August, 8 pmA Polish-Lithuanian-Estonian programme of music from the Jagiellonian era around the Braniewo tablature

    Olsztyn, St James the Apostle Cathedral Basilica

    Reversio ensemble: Marek Toporowski, Darius Klisys, Irmina Obońska, Julia Karpeta, Katarzyna Czubek, Tomasz Sobaniec, Anna-Liisa Ellerc.

  • 26 August, 7pmFrom Sweelinck to Bach.

    Kielce, Cathedral Basilica

    Musicians of Kielce: Paweł Wróbel, Grzegorz Kustra, Adrian Janus

  • 27 August, hrs. 19.00In the majesty of Renaissance polyphony

    Holy Cross, Sanctuary of the Relics of the Holy Cross Tree Schola Cantorum Kielcensis and William Lavallee (Scottish bagpipes)
  • 1 September, 6 pmDancing Renaissance

    Kielce, National Museum, Former Cracow Bishops' Palace

    . Cracovia Danza Ballet

  • 1 September, 6 pmHymns of the Passion period and Benedictine meditations by the Prelate Magdalena Mortenska.

    Lubawa, Church of St John the Baptist and St Michael the Archangel

    . Schola Węgajty, Maria Rochowicz, Małgorzata Dżygadło - Niklaus

  • 2 September, 5 pmHymns of the Passion period and Benedictine meditations by the Prelate Magdalena Mortenska.

    Faryny, Church of N.M.P. Queen of Poland

    . Schola Węgajty, Maria Rochowicz, Małgorzata Dżygadło - Niklaus

  • 2 September, 5 pm ContentHymns of the Passion period and Benedictine meditations by the Prelate Magdalena Mortenska.

    Faryny, Church of N.M.P. Queen of Poland

    . Schola Węgajty, Maria Rochowicz, Małgorzata Dżygadło - Niklaus

  • 2 September, 5 pmDancing Renaissance

    Chęciny, Royal Castle

    Ballet Cracovia Danza

  • 2 September, 7 pmEtienne Meyer in dialogue with Monteverdi

    Kielce, Former Synagogue

    The Madrigals Trio: Dagmar Šašková, Judith Pacquier, Laurent Stewart

  • 27 August, 7pmA Polish-Lithuanian-Estonian programme of music from the Jagiellonian era around the Braniewo tablature

    Braniewo, St Catherine of Alexandria Basilica

    Reversio ensemble: Marek Toporowski, Darius Klisys, Irmina Obońska, Julia Karpeta, Katarzyna Czubek, Tomasz Sobaniec, Anna-Liisa Eller

  • 3 September, 5 pmDancing Renaissance

    Szydłów, Palais royal Jagiellonian

    Ballet Cracovia Danza

  • 3 September, 5 pmThe madrigal and its enchanted garden

    Oblęgorek, Henryk Sienkiewicz's palace in Oblęgorek

    The Madrigals Trio: Dagmar Šašková, Judith Pacquier, Laurent Stewart

  • 4 September, 7.30 pmCanzonas from the New World in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    Kielce, St. John Paul II Church

    The Madrigals Trio: Dagmar Šašková, Judith Pacquier, Laurent Stewart

  • 6 September, 6.30 pmOrtus de Polonia - the brilliance of Nicolaus Zielenski's polyphony

    Sandomierz, Bazylika Katedralna

    Les Traversées Baroques i chór Angelus Cantat

  • 6 September, 6 pmPlaying and walking through the Renaissance Music Library

    Stara Zagość, St John the Baptist Church

    . Andreas Böhlen and Corina Marti

  • 7 September, 6 pmOrtus de Polonia - the brilliance of Nicolaus Zielenski's polyphony

    Jędrzejów, Cistercian Abbey

    Les Traversées Baroques and Angelus Cantat choir

  • 8 September, 6 pmA collection of Renaissance dances - Tabulature by Jan of Lublin

    Starachowice, Ecomuseum

    Corina Marti

  • 8 September, 6.30 pmSacred polyphony of the Polish Renaissance

    Wiślica, Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

    Academic Choir of the Swietokrzyska Polytechnic and Schola Cantorum Kielcensis, students of the ZPSM in Kielce

  • 9 September, 5 pmAt the origin of music for keyboard instruments

    Rytwiany, the Hermitage of the Golden Forest Corina Marti Organetto and harpsichord
  • 9 September, 5 pmOrtus de Polonia - the brilliance of Nicolaus Zielenski's polyphony

    Opole, Franciscan Church

    Les Traversées Baroques and Angelus Cantat choir

  • 10 September, 6 pmOrtus de Polonia - the brilliance of Nicolaus Zielenski's polyphony

    Głogówek, St Bartholomew Church

    Les Traversées Baroques and the Angelus Cantat choir

  • 10 September, 5 pmA musical panorama of Renaissance Europe

    Kielce, National Museum, Former Cracow Bishops' Palace

    Andreas Böhlen and Marek Toporowski


Video reports

10 September 2023 - National Museum Former Palace of the Bishops of Cracow in Kielce

Musical panorama of Renaissance Europe

Andreas Böhlen - recorders Marek Toporowski - harpsichord

Production: Classical-Music-Media Kamil Madoń.

6 September 2023 - Sandomierz, Cathedral Basilica

Ortus de Polonia - the brilliance of Nicholas Zielinski's polyphony

Étienne Meyer - Direction Capucine Keller, Dagmar Šašková - sopranos Maximiliano Baños, Marie-George Monet - Altos Vincent Bouchot, François-Nicolas Geslot - Ténors Renaud Delaigue, Alejandro Meerapfel - Basses Judith Pacquier, Liselotte Emery, Marc Pauchard - Cornets à bouquin Charlotte Van Passen, Guy Anssen, James Wigfull, Rémi Lécorché - Sacqueboutes Monika Fischaleck - basson Laurent Stewart - Orgue

Production: Classical-Music-Media Kamil Madoń

26 and 27 August 2023 - Recording of concerts in Olsztyn and Braniewo

Music from the Braniewo Tablature

Katarzyna Czubek - recorders Darius Klišys - birbinė Tomasz Sobaniec - percussion instruments Julia Karpeta - viola da gamba Marek Toporowski - harpsichord, organ Adam Jastrzębski - harpsichord, organ Anna-Liisa Eller - canal

Production: Classical-Music-Media Kamil Madoń