Schola Gregoriana Pragensis

Schola Gregoriana Pragensis
Founding 1987 (29 years ago)
Founder David Eben
Genre Medieval sacred music including Gregorian chant and Bohemian polyphony
Music Director David Eben
Awards Choc du monde de le musique
10 de Repertoire
Zlatá Harmonie
Website www.gregoriana.cz/en/sgp

Schola Gregoriana Pragensis (English: The Gregorian School of Prague) is an a cappella male voice choir from the Czech Republic, founded in 1987 by David Eben. Their core repertoire consists of Gregorian chant, Bohemian plainchant, and early polyphony, but they also perform modern works including some composed for them.

Description

Schola Gregoriana Pragensis

The Schola Gregoriana Pragensis is an award winning choir from the Czech republic with primary focus on Gregorian chant and Bohemian plainchant. The choir formed in 1987 under the direction of David Eben and was restricted in its repertoire to only liturgical music for the first two years. Since the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the choir has extended its repertoire to include a variety of sacred music, with particular focus on Gregorian chant (monophonic Latin liturgical music) and early polyphony.

The choir has won several awards, including the Choc du monde de le musique, 10 de Repertoire and Golden Harmony (Zlatá Harmonie).[1] Since inception they have toured a variety of countries.

Of particular importance is the choir's work in researching and performing Bohemian plainchant and early polyphony.

The choir has between six and nine members with a repertoire of various sacred music. They have toured many countries, including Japan, Israel, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland.[1]

Their work in the interpretation of medieval music, with particular focus on Bohemian plainsong, is particularly significant with a focus on the symbolism of neumatic notation from the 10th and 11th centuries. Performances feature the original Bohemian plainchant tradition, including the earliest examples of polyphony. In addition they have performed music from 14th and 15th century and more modern compositions, including some written specifically for the group.

They have produced numerous recordings under the Supraphon and other labels.

The choir has participated in early music festivals, including the Festival Early Music at Utrecht in 2014.[2]

The work of David Eban and the choir has featured in Czech academic publications related to musicology.[3]

David Eben

David Eban
Born (1965-01-06) 6 January 1965
Prague, Czech Repulblic
Genres Early Music and Choral direction
Occupation(s) Academic
Instruments Vocal, clarinet
Years active 1992–present (2016)
Website http://www.gregoriana.cz/en/stranka/david-eben
Notable instruments
Vocal

David Eben[4] is the son of composer Petr Eben and is the founder and director of Schola Gregoriana Pragensis. He started studies in musicology at the philosophy school of the Charles University in Prague in 1986 following completion of his training in clarinet at the Prague Conservatory. He began concentrating on mediaeval music in 1986 and graduated from Paris Conservatory (Conservatoire de Paris) having studied Gregorian chant conducting.

He established the Schola Gregoriana Pragensis in 1987.

He regularly teaches theory and practice of Gregorian chant at summer school at Musiques et Patrimoine Rânes, Normandy, France and at the Festival de Musique Sacré de Fribourg in Switzerland.

He has collaborated with Czech radio to produce programs on Gregorian chant.[1]

As of 2016, he works at Charles University in Prague, where he lectures in musicology and liturgy.

Other choir members

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Discography

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

The group has made the following recordings:[1][6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Schola Gregoriana Pragensis". Supraphon. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  2. "Concert review from Festival Early Music Utrecht 2014". Musica Dei Donum. With the concert of the Schola Gregoriana Pragensis we moved forward almost two centuries. This ensemble focuses on early plainchant and polyphony from Bohemia.
  3. Kučírková, Kristýna (2007). "Schola Gregoriana Pragensis versus Svatomichalská gregoriánská schola aneb Dva způsoby poučené interpretace". Teoretické reflexe hudební výchovy (in Czech). Brno: Masarykova univerzita. 3 (1). ISSN 1803-1331. Retrieved 5 March 2016. Title in English: Schola Gregoriana Pragensis versus Svatomichalská gregoriánská schola, two ways of interpretation
  4. "David Eban, Biography". Charles University Prague, Faculty of Arts Institute of Musicology. Retrieved March 2016. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  5. "Stanislav Predota data". Personal website.
  6. Schola Gregoriana Pragensis discography at Discogs
  7. Schola Gregoriana Pragensis at AllMusic. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  8. Schola Gregoriana Pragensis  Rosa Mystica at Discogs
  9. Schola Gregoriana Pragensis: Antica e moderna at AllMusic. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
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