Sakralumo ir muzikos raiškos sąveika Juozo Naujalio Mišiose „Missa In Honorem St. Casimiri“
Interaction of sacral and musical expression in the Missa In Honorem St. Casimiri by Juozas Naujalis

Summary/Abstract: One of the most important fields of J. Naujalis’ composition is ecclesiastical music: motets, cantatas, Masses; overall about 50. J. Naujalis’ artistic individuality, peculiarities of musical language, striving to improve Lithuanian catholic professional music that was choked for a long time unfolded in ecclesiastical genres in the most salient way. Masses, just as other religious compositions of J. Naujalis’, are intended for various constitutions of performers and of different level of complexity, adapted for the choirs of different artistic capability. The composer reaches symbiosis of diverse musical traditions that settled in centuries: traits of European Renaissance ecclesiastical music prevail, there are also prominent norms of classicism enriched with distinctive individual elements of the composer’s stylistics, that gingerly recall even some tendencies of the romantism of the 19th century – variety of harmony, coordination of tonalities, change of tempos and rhythms, individual lyrical episodes etc. J. Naujalis had professionally assimilated the old traditions and canons of European ecclesiastical music. He distinguished with noble personal features, deep faith and religious world-view, and wanted to bring back objectively perfect, dignified, aesthetical religious catholic music of stricter norms of musical compositions which would also contain the shading of Lithuanity to Lithuanian Church and to preserve by that spiritual equilibrium and inner restraint that is intrinsic to Christian world-view. One of the most interesting and significant compositions in the repertoire of Lithuanian ecclesiastical music is „Missa In Honorem St. Casimiri” for male choir of four voices and organ (1894). The Mass is intended to the liturgy therefore it meets all requirements and canons of the Holy Mass; they are not long but cumulate in its thought and musical expression. The most interesting means of expression that determine the integrity of the composition is melodic propinquity of the parts. Musical dramaturgy is grounded on the monothematic principle, meaning that all parts are interconnected with common thematic-intonational material, just as in other compositions of this genre. Such a melodic relationship embodies and strengthens the most important sacred and musical thought and creates impression of the cyclic character of the structure (instead of desultory parts). J. Naujalis’ talent of master of musical architectonics unfolds in the Mass „In Honorem St. Casimiri”. Form of the composition is clear, it perfectly corresponds to the course of musical thought that is connected with liturgy and does not trespass the tradition of the genre. All parts of the Mass are written in the smaller (“Kyrie”, „Sanctus”, „Benedictus”, „Agnus Dei”) or bigger (“Gloria”, „Credo”), differently modified form of three parts, subordinate to the verbal text. bordinate to the verbal text.

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