Music in historical Żywiec. The unique significance of Andrzej Komoniecki’s 'Chronography'

Jerzy Rajman

Abstract

The author’s main research aim was to analyse a work by Andrzej Komoniecki, alderman of the town of Żywiec, in Lesser Poland, entitled Chronografia albo Dziejopis Żywiecki [Chronography, or Żywiec chronicle]. This chronicle, covering the period up to 1728, is an extremely valuable source for the study of the urban culture of Żywiec during the Old Poland period. Detailed analysis has revealed very numerous and valuable information concerning music, in most cases entered under specific year dates, which provides a point of departure for the study of music in old Żywiec. All the music-related information from Chronography is presented under three headings: folk, church and court music. The first of these groups is relatively small, but there are notable mentions of dancing and music-making in an inn, a song sung by a convict, and, most interestingly, a relatively detailed description of highlander dances and music from the year 1716. The lively development of sacred music is evidenced by numerous mentions of altarists, cantors, parish school teachers (some of whom were instrumentalists) and organists. Especially detailed is the information concerning the organ in the parish church. Another extremely valuable item is the description of a fresco from 1542, no longer existing, which depicted figures playing various instruments. This description proves that the town’s owners enjoyed very close links to the parish church. As for court music, an ensemble probably existed at Żywiec Castle as early as the sixteenth century. Collected in this article is all the available information concerning court music in Żywiec. Of special interest are the mentions of concerts held in the church during which family members of the town’s owners performed. There are also multiple mentions of music played from the church tower by the court trumpeters.