“Hej Mistře” – CU Christmas Concert












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            * “Hej Mistře” – CU Christmas Concert
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            It can be in no doubt that Christmas concerts are a staple of Czech festive traditions, wi

            a centre role in Czech culture. On the 17th of December at 7 pm the Charles University Cho
            chamber orchestra Orchestra Camerata Carolina under the conductor Jakub Zícha performed a 
            in the Karolinum building of Charles University. The repertoire included Czech advent mati

            16th century, a collection of old European carols as well as the famous Czech Christmas ma
            composed by the Czech teacher and composer Jakub Jan Ryba.
            The Charles University Choir was founded in 1948, the members either consisting of those c

            at the university or recently graduated. They perform numerous concerts throughout the aca
            recently singing at the 2014 memory awards event to coincide with 25 years since the Velve

            But it is no doubt that the highlight of any musician’s year are the Christmas concerts. T
            or singing of pieces which have been heard for hundreds of years, pieces of music which ea
            grown up hearing. Christmas carols are a tradition shared throughout the whole of Europe w

            having their own versions typical to their culture and traditions. Despite this, there are
            are shared across Europe as a whole; though the language which they are sung in may differ
            and accompanying atmosphere is same. Both the Czech advent matins from the 16th century an

            of European carols affectively brought the past Christmas choral festivities into the Karo
            performance of carols including In Natali Domini and Omnis Mundus. The performance of thes
            in the Karolinum’s Great Hall was flawless. The choir’s voices floating to each note that 

            many others previously; carrying on the choral Christmas traditions.
            No Czech Christmas choral concert is complete without the mass composed by Jakub Jan Ryba 
            Mistře” (translated in English as “Hail, Master”). Its performance has grown to become a C

            tradition since its composition in 1790. The mass through its text and music illustrates t
            nativity scene, with songs dedicated to particular events and characters within the nativi
            angels, shepherds as well as the journey to Bethlehem. The four soloists were Marta Fadlje

            Karolína Bubleová Berková, alto, tenor Martin Slavík and bass David Nykl. Similar to the L
            Ryba “Czech Christmas Mass” is in 9 sections; The Kyrie, Gloria, Gradual, Credo, Offertori
            Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Zavier. With the title of “mass” used it can be assumed that thi

            sung in Latin however the “Hej Mistře” mass is written and sung in Czech. This combined wi
            of short folk inspired motifs and rhythmic patterns results in a truly Czech Christmas mas
            The Karolinum built in the 14th century proved to be the perfect setting for this concert,

            acoustically and historically. Acoustically as the buildings structure , with its high cei
            walls and large open space creating a reverb which carried the voices through hall, mimick
            would have been heard in churches and cathedrals, where these pieces would have been origi

            Historically as the Karolinum and Charles University would have both been standing and inf
            the time of these pieces composition.
            This Christmas concert truly was magical, it bought traditional Czech Christmas choral tra

            the roof of a building steeped in Prague’s history, with the voices of the choir echoing t
            Great Hall as it has done for centuries. It showed that despite the commercialism which ac
            festive period, the traditions and choral festivities which truly make a Czech Christmas a

            and thriving.                                                                             
            Suzanna Knuckey is a joint honours student studying music and history with archaeology at 
            Charles University as an Erasmus student. Her interests include history, art, culture and 
            in Prague as well as meet others from different countries and backgrounds.