Romuald Twardowski: Sacrum - Profanum: Chœur Mixte A Cappella

The idea for a work combining sacred and secular elements actually arose a long time ago, during my travels around southern Europe. In a small highland town on Sicily, I once witnessed a local ceremony. Inside a church, a group of believers were praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament; outside, an atmosphere of fun held sway amid the hubbub of people milling around. In Barcelona, I admired beautiful dances performed in front of an old cathedral right after a Sunday service. This clash of SACRED and PROFANE was not of a conflictual character; one complemented the other. The same applies to my composition: the mystical gravity of the first movement is complemented by the lively second movement, echoing an Italian saltarello. - Romuald Twardowski (translated by John Comber)