Mikolaj Zielenski (1550 - 1615) was a Polish composer. Zielenski's only known surviving works are two 1611 liturgical cycles of polychoral works, the Offertoria/Communes totius anni. These were dedicated to the Archbishop of Gniezno, Wojciech Baranowski. The sets consist of large-scale double- and triple-choir antiphons, as well as some monodic works typical of the Seconda pratica style of early Monteverdi. Zielenski's music is the first known Polish music set in the style of the Baroque.

Little is known today about the life and work of Mikolaj Zielenski who lived at the turn of the 17th century, indeed too little considering the volume of his work and its historical significance. The fragmentary information we have about him today allows us to reconstruct solely a very fragmentary biographical sketch about this composer. The circumstances in which his exceptional talent was born are a matter of many hypotheses and conjectures. The music created thanks to his exceptional gift allowed Zielenski to take a place in the history of music by which he is even regarded as the best Polish composer before Chopin. Szymon Skorowolski, a historian contemporary to Zielenski, classified him as a member of a group of Polish composers who had been educated in Rome, "in media Roma exercitati". This is a reference of great significance as it locates the main source of his musical knowledge as a professional composer.

Although the time of his musical education is determined by this remark it makes it possible to come up with a hypothesis as to the range of the Italian music masters under whom he may have studied or whose music became familiar to him and indicates his possible connections within Italian musical circles. It is quite certain that Zielenski studied the work of Palestrina whose compositions were recognized by the Council of Trent as the stylistic paragon and pattern of church polyphony. He also became familiar with the compositions of the Gabrielis (Andrea and his nephew Giovanni), the two most eminent representatives of the Venetian polychoral school. Likewise it cannot be excluded that the Polish composer acquainted himself with the ideas of Florentine camerata contained in Dialogo della musica antica et della moderna of V. Galilea (1581). Even the first attempts at accompanied monody made by Caccini and Galilea in their Le nuove musiche (1601) may have been familiar to him.

Communiones totius anni is composed of 57 (63? - A.J.) pieces differing as well in the number of parts (from one to six) and also in the required setup for performance. The majority among these works are motets in concerto style transposed in nota contra notam and often alluding to the classical style of Palestrina. A considerable group of pieces consists of tercets, duets and accompanied monody. The application of the monodic and concertante styles in the Communiones testifies to the innovative character of Mikolaj Zielenski as a composer.".

Source: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miko%C5%82aj_Ziele%C5%84 ski ).

Although originally created for unaccompanied choir (SSAATTBB), I created this Interpretation of "Adoramus Te, Christe" (We adore You, O Christ) for Winds (Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet & Bassoon) & Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).

Download the sheet music here: https://musescore.com/user/13216/scores/5664608