On the musical culture of the premonstratensian canonesses in Imbramowice, according to the convent’s chronicle (1703-1741)

The article discusses musical life in the convent of the Premonstratensian canonesses in Imbramowice, near Kraków, as portrayed in the convent’s chronicle from the first half of the 18th century. It was a very difficult period for the congregation, as in the wake of the continuing northern war, the local community was dramatically impoverished, and furthermore both the church and the convent were destroyed by fire. Despite the above, thanks to the steps taken by Abbess Zofia Grothówna, not only was the church rebuilt (to the design of a recognised architect, Kacper Bażanka) but local musical life experienced a revival as well. Besides a Gregorian chant regularly performed by the nuns themselves, the church in Imbramowice hosted ensembles (church, monastic, and magnate) brought from nearby locations a number of times a year as the canonesses did not maintain their own ensemble. Worth special attention is the fact that the cathedral ensemble accompanying visits by the Bishop of Kraków performed repeatedly in Imbramowice. The ensemble was accompanied in Imbramowice by Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, at the time the cathedral Kapellmeister, who visited the Premonstratensian sisters as pastor on other occasions. (The list of all music-related events that took place in Imbramowice is presented in a table at the end of the article.). The Imbramowice chronicle is an important source of information on music ensembles that are not mentioned elsewhere in known musicological literature, thus being a unique proof of the care to keep music part of the liturgy in a very difficult period in Polish history.