gree of certainty of the
early musical history of Poland. Our general histories of music have
little or nothing to say on the matter, and a special history exists
neither in the Polish nor in any other language. The Abbe Joseph
Surzynski, who by his labours is endeavouring to remove the reproach of
indifference and ignorance now lying on his countrymen in this respect,
says: [FOOTNOTE: In the preface to the Monumenta Musices sacra, selected
works of the best composers of classical religious music in Poland,
published by him. The first two parts of this publication, respectively
issued in 1885 and 1887, contain compositions by Thomas Szadek, Nicolas
Zielenski, G. G. Gorczycki, Venceslas, Szamotulski, and Sebastian
of Felsztyn.] "The compositions of our old masters are buried in the
archives and libraries--no one cares to make them known to the public;
many Polish musicians, not even supposing that these compositions exist,
are very far from believing that the authors of these pieces deserve to
be ranked with the best composers of the Roman Catholic Church. Now, in
studying these works, we find in the century of Palestrina and Vittoria
among our artists: Marcin ze Lwowa (Martin Leopolita), Christopher
Borek, Thomas Szadek, Venceslas Szamotulski, and especially Zielenski
and Gomolka--distinguished masters who deserve to be known by the
friends of the musical art, either on account of their altogether
national genius, or on account of their inspiration and the perfection
of the forms which manifest themselves in their compositions." One of
the first illustrious names in the history of music in Poland is the
German Henry Finck, the chapel-master of the Polish Kings, John Albert
(1492-1501) and Alexander (1501-1506). From the fact that this excellent
master got his musical education in Poland we may safely conclude--and
it is not the only fact which justifies our doing so--that in that
country already in the fifteenth century good contrapuntists were to
be found. The Abbe Surzynski regards Zielenski as the best of the
early composers, having been impressed both by the profound religious
inspiration and the classical form of his works. Of Gomolka, who has
been called the Polish Palestrina as Sebastian of Felsztyn the Polish
Goudimel, the Abbe remarks: "Among the magnificent musical works of
Martin Leopolita, Szadek, and Zielenski, the compositions of Gomolka
present themselves like miniature water-colours, in which, nevertheless