Jan Dismas Zelenka - Litaniae Xaverianae - ZWV 155 - Adam Viktora, Inégal

Orchestra: Ensemble Inégal.
Soloists: Gabriella Eibenová (S), Hana Blažíková (S), Jaroslav Březina (T), Tomáš Král (B), Marian Krejčík (B).
Conductor: Adam Viktora. Composed: 1727. Recorded: 2010.
-------
00:00 - Kyrie
03:54 - Sancte Francisce I
07:12 - Firmamentum
08:59 - Fidelis Imitator
11:21 - Salus aegrotorum
12:05 - Fugator daemonum
14:14 - Gloria societatis Jesu
14:48 - Pauperime, castissime Xaveri
18:03 - Sancte Francisce II
23:10 - In quo uno omnium
25:05 - Agnus Dei I
27:28 - Agnus Dei II

This is a Litany to St. Xavier composed by the Czech master in December 1727. Composed litanies to this saint were particular to the royal court in Dresden where he was honoured as patron Saint. Johann David Heinichen (himself a Lutheran), Giovanni Alberto Ristori and Tobias Butz all did their own Xaverian litany compositions during the 1720s; only Zelenka did as many as 3.
This piece shows the great extent to which Zelenka is able to reflect deeply the feeling and the meanings of the text. The phrase 'Ora pro nobis' (pray for us), is placed at key concluding moments of sections, to keep an overall structure and direction to what can be seen as a sprawling list of evocations. Zelenka's musical creativity and technicality is also clear, and governs the spirit of the piece.
The glorification of Saint Xavier in Dresden was due to the Jesuit presence and influence there since the Catholic conversion of Frederick August I/Augustus II and the Saxon family in 1697. Saint Xavier is the missionary saint of the order; Saxony was staunchly lutheran, so the connotations of emphasising his patronage were therefore certainly clear.

Background painting: "St. Francis Xavier" - Bartolome Esteban Murillo - 1670.