Sometimes it is difficult to return to everyday life. We remain in silence, as though a single word might shatter something fragile and profoundly important. Echo Sacrum leads to just such an experience, when time seems to stand still and we do not want to leave the Philharmonic.

For centuries, choral music has had the power to create a space of emotional resonance and a sense of goodness that needs no definition in words. The sacred is born of being together – of shared breath, shared sound and emotions that transcend the limits of ordinary communication. When the sound of dozens of voices permeates the listener, music becomes a deeply transformative experience, lifting us beyond the boundaries of everyday life.

Frank Martin’s Mass for Double Choir a Cappella leads us towards an intimate, almost existential spirituality. He composed the work during the second decade of the 20th century, yet for more than forty years refused to allow it to be performed, believing it to be too personal to share with the world. Its premiere finally took place in Geneva in 1963 and immediately moved its audience.

Rooted in the tradition of communal singing so characteristic of the Baltic countries, Rihards Dubra’s music is among the most moving examples of contemporary choral works. Often compared to Arvo Pärt and John Tavener, the Latvian composer creates luminous, unpretentious soundscapes, building emotional intensity through simplicity, silence and subtlety. His Te Deum offers a sense of lightness, focus and inner elevation. It is music that invites us to pause for a moment and reminds us that the sacred may also reveal itself through sensitivity and hope.

The Warsaw Philharmonic Choir is one of Poland's finest vocal ensembles, acclaimed for its exceptional refinement of sound, precision and versatility, with a repertoire ranging from early music to contemporary works. The choir regularly collaborates with many of the world’s leading conductors and orchestras, and its recordings have received numerous prestigious awards, including Grammy Awards.

Its chorus master, Bartosz Michałowski, is one of Poland’s most highly regarded choral conductors, renowned for his exceptional attention to colour, detail and the emotional depth of every performance. Under his direction, the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir has developed a distinctive sound and remarkable interpretative intensity.
 

Maria Peryt