Filip Leszkowicz
This Christmas Eve (Wigilia) hundreds of Poles carried out a centuries-old custom of singing Christmas carols across the festive desk.
It’s a convention that dates again as early because the fifteenth century and has prevailed all the way in which into the twenty first century. Based on a research completed by the CBOS Institute 5 years in the past, practically 80 p.c of Polish households nonetheless sit round their desk on the twenty fourth December to sing carols collectively.
Whereas Poland has a myriad of gorgeous Christmas customs, singing carols is maybe probably the most heart-warming of all of them. Choir director and Music instructor of Warsaw’s Witold Lutoslawski Music Faculty, Katarzyna Boniecka instructed TFN:
“Singing Christmas Carols is an immanent a part of my household’s Christmas Eve celebration. Even these family members, who usually don’t sing and have gotten an enormous downside of singing in tune nonetheless take part.”
The oldest Christmas carol in Poland dates again to 1424 and was referred to as Zdrów Bądź, Królu Anjelski (Praised Be, Lord of Angels). Since then the custom has thrived, with one carol, Bóg Się Rodzi (God is Born) virtually turning into Poland’s nationwide anthem in 1792.
Carols grew to become a focus of nationwide id for a lot of Poles.
With such an extended historical past, Polish Christmas carols additionally performed a key position in the course of the darkish instances of three partitions (1772-1918) when Poland was invaded and carved up by the Prussian, Austrian and Russian empires and finally disappeared from the European map for 123 years.
“Carols grew to become a focus of nationwide id for a lot of Poles.” Boniecka instructed TFN, “Even the best Polish poets and composers resembling Adam Mickiewicz, Juliusz Słowacki, Stanisław Moniuszko have been concerned in writing new Christmas texts and carols, as a way to maintain Polishness throughout oppressive instances.”
Polish tradition persevered, nevertheless, as a consequence of underground actions, resembling concert events and theatres, with the lyrics of the well-known carols modified as a way to give patriotic or satiric meanings.
Beginning within the fifteenth century, carol singing at house has prevailed all the way in which into the twenty first century.
Boniecka continued: “Nativity performs have been carried out in secret within the camps for Polish battle prisoners within the Nazi-German focus camps and within the Soviet gulags. The most well-liked Christmas Carol throughout these darkish instances, in addition to throughout martial regulation, grew to become “Nie było miejsca dla Ciebie” (“There was no place for You”) which addresses grief, homelessness and feeling deserted.”
Whereas Polish Christmas carols helped fan the patriotic flame throughout oppressive instances, Boniecka explains extra in regards to the alluring lyrical nature of Polish carols. Generally recognized to comply with rhythms of the Polonaise, she stated: “They’re usually full of life and ear-catching, which makes them straightforward to recollect and sing. Their lyrics are strongly related with the specifics of the Polish individuals’s life – names, delicacies, Polish customs, musical devices, names of untamed and breeding animals and Polish climate at winter.”
Since then, Christmas Caroling in Poland has advanced into a light-weight, festive, household exercise for tens of millions of Poles yearly.
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This text was first printed in December 2018.
