Muzyka i wolnomularstwo warszawskie na początku XIX w. Kilka nowych informacji dotyczących wolnomularskiej działalności Józefa Elsnera (ze zbiorów Archiwum Masońskiego w AGAD)
Music and Freemasonry in Warsaw during the early nineteenth century. New information concerning Józef Elsner’s Masonic activities (from the Masonic Archive in the Central Archives of Historical Records (AGAD))

Summary/Abstract: Our knowledge of Elsner’s involvement in Freemasonry can now be supplemented with data obtained by the author of the article during preliminary research conducted in the Central Archives of Historical Records (AGAD) in Warsaw. The investigated material has made it possible to reconstruct the complete texts and establish the authorship of most of the Masonic songs composed by Elsner, to examine examples of poetry dedicated to Elsner by his fellow Freemasons from Warsaw lodges and to identify another collection of his compositions (known from other sources), written for Masonic lodges, not previously mentioned in any studies, as well as an unsigned, handwritten copy of the so-called ‘apprentices’ song’ 'Bierz się śmiało do podróży' [Go boldly on your journey]. In 1810, the common practice of singing during Masonic ceremonies encouraged Józef Elsner to publish his own collection of songs to be performed by Masonic brethren, modelled on similar publications abroad. The collection, titled 'Muzyka do pieśni wolnomularskich' [Music to Masonic songs], comprised thirty compositions (apart from Elsner’s, it contained music by Mozart, Stefani and Cherubini, as well as anonymous works): twenty-four Polish,three French and three German songs.

• Details
• Contents