Morning prayers and services
In addition to daily morning prayers at 8.30, we celebrated a Protestant Service and a Roman Catholic Mass.
Hymn Festival
Congregational singing has been a spiritual resource since ancient times. During our conference, the Hymn festival offers an excellent opportunity to gain insights into our hymn literature. In selecting the songs, we have focussed on multilingualism and the diversity of denominations. It expresses what unites us in faith, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The Hymn festival approaches the practice of hymns with spirit and understanding: we briefly introduce the hymns and the sources used and then sing them together in the congregation. The songs documented in manuscripts and printed works are transformed into a living congregational prayer.
Concert
The concert wasdedicated to the old hymns and their half-millennium-long migration across denominations, European countries and language cultures. The focus wason the early 16th century, a time in which the creation of hymn texts and melodies reached an unprecedented intensity. Looking at the spread of hymns during this period, it becomes clear that the boundaries between countries, languages and denominations were not nearly as insurmountable as political and religious history might suggest. Various forms were also combined in the development of hymns: the legacy of early Christian chant, medieval ‘cantiones’ and newly composed hymns, polyphony and new musical forms with the increasing involvement of musical instruments. We listened to the originals, variants and transformations of the hymns in confrontation with their present-day wording, especially according to the hymnal ‚Evangelický zpěvník‘ (2021). The performers were Irena Troupová (Soprano), Richard Šeda (Zinc, Recorders) and Jiřina Marešová (Organ, Positive, Regal, Portative)
Hymnal presentations
Presentation of the new Czech Protestant hymnal Evangelický zpěvník (2021) by Ladislav Moravetz
The new hymnal of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (published in 2021) contains a variety of forms. It is at the same time a product of innovative tradition and ecumenical international co-operation. It is intended to provide a rich offer for different types of services, devotions and also for individual use. It opens up new paths of spirituality.
Presentation of the new Czech Lutheran hymnal Hrad přepevný (2018) by Lukáš M. Vytlačil
The hymn book Hrad přepevný (“Mighty Fortress”) was published in 2018 as the first official hymn book of the Evangelic Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Czech Republic. The presentation deals with the genesis of this project, the structure of the edited repertoire, confessional profiling, and examples of editing problems.
Guided tour in the Strahov library
The Strahov Library (in Czech ‘Strahovská knihovna’) is the monastic library of Strahov Monastery (in Czech ‘Strahovský klášter’), a Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1143. The library has been a part of the monastery since its foundation, although its history up to the 16th century is unfortunately only known in rough outline. In its present form, the Strahov Library consists of two halls, considered among the most beautiful library halls in the world. The Theological Hall was built in the early 1670s, while the larger Philosophical Hall was constructed between 1782 and 1797. The historical part of the library contains over 200,000 volumes in its collection, including over 3,000 manuscripts and 1,500 incunabula. The oldest book in the library is the Strahov Gospel Book, which was written ca. 860 in Tours. The excursion included a guided tour of both library halls, which are usually not accessible to library visitors. The Strahov Monastery also offers one of the most beautiful views of Prague Castle and the city centre.
Workshop “Paperless singing” with Ekaterina Porizko
Singing without sheet music is one of the earliest forms of musical performance. For many centuries, the only way to disseminate music was through the oral transmission of melody and text from singer to singer. Over time, melodies began to be recorded, but access to these records was typically limited to the lead musician in a group, as the ability to read music was an elitist skill. The Reformation and the advent of printing fundamentally changed this situation. Sheet music became increasingly accessible. However, singing from memory, or without sheet music, and improvisation have now become elitist skills—not because they are inherently difficult, but because we are no longer accustomed to them. Singing without sheet music is akin to a children’s game: engaging, emotional, and exhilarating. How does one sing without sheet music? How does one sing from memory? Why are these not the same? And how can we motivate singers to try something new?