Joseph Bolehovský (1743–1811). Litaniae Lauretanae in g. Requiem in F.

Joseph Bolehovský (1743–1811) was born in Kostelec nad Orlicí, where he held the posts of organist and cantor in Kostelec, as well as teacher in that town’s school. Received his music probably in a Jesuit collegium in Kłodzko, Nysa, or Opava. His composition has been survived in many Silesian, Czech, Moravian, Hungarian and Polish libraries. The present edition comprises two compositions from the repertoire of the Jesuit parish church in Kłodzko, namely, Litania in g and Requiem in F. The scoring of those compositions is typical of sacred music in that period, namely, four vocal parts, accompanied by two violins, two clarini or horns, as well as basso continuo executed by the organ. The light and smooth melodies that characterise these pieces prove the composer’s considerable invention. There are interesting solutions in harmonic progressions, rhythmic and agogic variation, as well as varied scoring of the individual textual-musical sections.