Universum Petri

Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz (1392-about 1480) and his Europe
 

La Morra Ensemble (Switzerland), directed by Corina Marti and Michał Gondko;

The identification of the authorship of the works of the medieval poet and composer Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz (Peter of Grudziondz) has become a significant achievement in 20th century Eastern European musicology. In 1975, the Czech musicologist Jaromír Černý noticed the acrostic 'Petrvs VVilhelmi' in a 15th century motet and linked this motet to other previously anonymous works in a similar style and with similar acrostics. Born in 1392 in Grudziondze, then ruled by the Teutonic Knights, Petras was educated in Kraków and later served as chaplain to Frederick III, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. His work combines the conservative polyphony of the region with the French  ars nova style. Although little known today, Peter of Grudziondz's musical legacy is incredibly rich. La Morra seeks to present not only the central figure of this concert programme, but also the broader cultural context in which Peter of Grudziondz's musical thought was formed and in which he himself was a major influence.