FULL HRVATSKA MISA (Kuljerić) Zagreb 2006 Martina Gojčeta-Silić, Nikša Radovanović

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Hrvatska misa   
• Composer: Kuljerić Igor  
• Libretto:
• Venue & Opera Company: Zagreb, Croatia  
• Recorded: 2006
• Type: Concert Live
• Singers: Martina Gojčeta-Silić, Nikša Radovanović
• Conductor: Zvonimir Hačko  
• Orchestra: Orkestar HNK - Zagreb  
• Chorus: Zbor RTV - Zagreb  
• Stage Director:   
• Costume Designer:   

Information about the Recording

• Published by: HRT  
• Date Published: 2006  
• Format: Broadcast
• Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
• Subtitles: nosubs  
• Video Recording from: YouTube     FULL VIDEO
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

Quote from Wikipedia:
Igor Kuljerić (February 1, 1938 – April 20, 2006) was an important Croatian composer and conductor. His large opus followed the stylistic changes and evolutions of 20th and 21st century music.

Kuljerić died in April 2006, only three weeks following the completion and premiere of his Hrvatska Misa (Croatian Mass), a monumental composition scored for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. The work on his new opera, Catherine of Zrin (Katarina Zrinska) featuring the heroine in a historical drama on love and politics, is unfinished.

Quote from www.imca.us:
Croatian Mass exists in two versions. The first version was written in 2003 as a commission for Mostar Symphony’s 50th anniversary celebration (Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina). Kuljeric called this version Hrvatska (Mostarska) Misa [Croatian (Mostar) Mass]. But, for various reasons, the Mostar version remained to some extent unfinished and the opportunity for its performance did not materialize. However, Kuljeric was anxious to see the work performed, and when he met Croatian/American conductor Zvonimir Hacko in the Summer of 2005 (Hacko had expressed interest to premiere the work), he was clearly elated. Here was an opportunity not only to have the work performed and to give it wider international exposure but also to allow the consciously imposed limitations of the first version to be set aside and give his original ideas fuller rein. Marijan Modrusan, a Croatian musician and presentor, played a major role as the project’s manager; he worked tirelessly to pull together the huge performing forces and to secure the necessary finances and production requirements for the work’s premiere.

The final revised version of Hrvatska misa was completed in late March of 2006 and premiered a few days later on April 1, 2006 under the direction of Zvonimir Hacko and the composer’s own supervision at the great Vatroslav Lisinski Hall, Zagreb, Croatia. Some 200 performers participated in its world premiere: soloists Martina Gojceta Silic, mezzosoprano; and Nikša Radovanovic, tenor; the ensembles consisted of the Choir of Croatian Radio-Television, Choir of Croatian National Opera and the Orchestra of Croatian National Theater. The performance was broadcast live by Croatian National Television and was received with great enthusiasm by the audience and critics alike. Sadly, less than three weeks later, on April 20th, Igor.Kuljeric, the greatest living Croatian composer, passed away leaving Croatian Mass as the last work in his rich artistic legacy. The work received its American premiere on April 26, 2008 in Eugene, Oregon with Victoria Avetisyan (mezzo-soprano), Yeghishe Manucharyan (tenor); and Eugene Concert Choir and Oregon Mozart Players, Zvonimir Hacko, conducting.

Musical language of the Mass is based on Croatian folk and classical music traditions, stylistically falling within the National/Neo-Romantic tradition. Kuljeric’s Croatian Mass is typical of the composer’s output and thus thoroughly Eastern European in character. The most pronounced elements are those of folk influenced rhythms, melodies, and modal harmonies which are utilized within large, sweeping structural forms, and imbued with local, colloquial liturgical musical language known as Glagolitic tradition. The work is cast in the traditional five movements equivalent to those found in Latin masses: Gospodi pomiluj (Kyrie eleison), Slava (Gloria), Vjerujem (Credo), Svet (Sanctus and Benedictus), and Jaganjce Božji (Agnus Dei). The two soloists serve a double function, at times as an integral part of the dramatic symphonic whole and at other times as representing priests chanting in the ancient Glagolitic tradition.

Glagolitic liturgical tradition dates back to the 9th century and is specific to Croatia’s costal areas. Glagolitic singing has been preserved in the course of ten centuries mainly through oral transmission as a specific Croatian liturgical singing within the Western Roman Church rite. Glagolitic singing is unique due to the position of Glagolitism in the organization of the Western Church as well as the cultural tradition of three languages (Old Church Slavonic, Latin, Croatian) and three scripts (Glagolitic, Croatian Cyrillic and Latin). Its chant repertory shows Byzantine, Aquileian, Gregorian and other West European sacred influences and is distinguished, in particular, by layers of folk music expression. Glagolitic singing coexisted with the Latin tradition: from the 9th to the 17th centuries in the narrower sense, and up to the 20th century in wider terms. Kuljeric, coming from Šibenik, was well acquainted with this liturgical singing having participated in it as a young boy while attending church. Traces of it can be found in many of his works, however, his Glagolitic Requiem and Croatian Mass stand as the most overt examples of his indebtedness to the music of his native land.
The music of Croatian Mass used for both the world and the American premieres was the set parts and an annotated full score as edited/corrected during the preparation process for its world premiere ­ a collaboration of the composer and conductor Zvonimir Hacko. It was used in both performances by permission and the express wish of the composer.