The festival Musica Divina showcases the wealth and diversity of early sacral music in fascinating, often surprising interpretations. The organisers also break down barriers between the Western and Orthodox Catholic Churches, and between traditional and “academic” music. This ecumenical spirit also touches the audiences: the concerts are a communal form of meditation, while the community built by Musica Divina responds through the participation and financial support.

This year, the festival is held under the banner ERO CRAS (Latin for 'Tomorrow, I will be [there]') referring to the Great Advent Antiphons or the O Antiphons. Ero cras is a Latin acrostic formed from the first letters of its titles (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia), from last to first, and mirrors the theme of the antiphons.

So, the Advent in August? Yes, what’s more: right in the very centre of Kraków. For this year’s Musica Divina will be a story about hope and waiting inspired by the tradition of the Wawel Rorantists, a vocal ensemble at the Wawel Cathedral responsible for daily Rorate Masses held at the Sigismund Chapel.

O Sapientia
O Adonai
O Radix Jesse
O Clavis David
O Oriens
O Rex gentium
O Emmanuel

The programme of the festival is deeply rooted in the spiritual Christian tradition: the dramatised Missa Aurea (Golden Mass) by Cappella Pratensis, with Guillaume Du Fay’s polyphonic Missa Ecce ancilla Domini intertwining with Gregorian chant; archaic, austere religious songs of the Mediaeval Italy by Micrologus; and polyphonic works by Morales and Gombert interweaving the threads of hope penance and Marian contemplation arranged for voices and vihuelas (Andrew Hallock, Jonatan Alvarado, Ariel Abramovich, Jacob Heringman).

The Estonian and Scandinavian accents will be added by Linnamuusikud: the ensemble combines the Great Advent Antiphons with the native melodies of their motherland. And there is also a chamber gem embellishing the programme: recital by Anna-Liisa Eller and Taavi Kerikmäe playing the Nordic Baroque pieces on cembal d’amour, Europe’s sole of its kind. (The concert of Kerikmäe & Eller Duo has been cancelled. Instead, we will hear the concert by Amici ‡ Scott ‡ Kinder.)

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Main concerts
(admission free, free entry cards apply)

5 August 2025, 8:30pm
Carmelite Basilica
13th-century Advent and Christmas Lauds
Micrologus

Antiphon: O Sapientia
Laud: Laude Novella (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Toccara
Laud: Fami cantar (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Laud: Dal ciel venne messo novello (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Laud: O Maria d’Omelia (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
O divina Virgo flore (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Laud: Cristo è nato et humanato (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Laud: Dami conforto (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Antiphon: O Emmanuel
Laud: Gloria ‘n cielo e pace ‘n terra (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Laud: Ave, donna santissima (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Laud: Stella nuova ‘n fra la gente (Laudrio di Cortona No. 91)
Laud: Dolce Vergine Maria (Laudrio Magliabechiano II)

6 August 2025, 7pm and 9pm
Basilica of the Holiest Heart of Jesus (Jesuit Basilica)
Noli tardare! – Motets of Hope and Waiting
Abramovich ‡ Alvarado ‡ Hallock ‡ Heringman

I. Et noli tardare…
Moteta of Hope and Penance
Antiphon: O Oriens Cantoral No. 9 [collection of the National Library of Spain]
Cristóbal de Morales Salve Regina a 5, part III
Cristóbal de Morales Veni Domine, et noli tardare
Pedro de Escobar, Francisco de Peñalosa(?) Memorare piisima
Nicolas Gombert In te, Domine, speravi, part I
Antiphon: O Clavis David Cantoral No. 9 [collection of the National Library of Spain]

II. Remedando en algunos pasos al Aspice Domine de Gombert…
Morales at His Workshop
Cristóbal de Morales Missa Aspice Domine: Agnus Dei I
Nicolas Gombert Aspice Domine, part I: Aspice Domine quia facta est
Cristóbal de Morales Missa Aspice Domine: Et resurrexit
Nicolas Gombert Aspice Domine, part II: Muro tuo inexpugnabili
Cristóbal de Morales Missa Aspice Domine: Agnus Dei II

III. De la Sagrada María…
Marian Motets
Nicolas Gombert or Enríquez de Valderrábano Assiste Parata
Nicolas Gombert Conceptio Tua
Jean Mouton Nesciens Mater
Cristóbal de Morales Exaltata est, Sancta Dei Genitrix
Cristóbal de Morales Ave María

7 August 2025, 7pm and 9pm
Evangelical Church of St Martin
David Kellner: Sixteen Selected Lute Works (1747)
Kerikmäe & Eller Duo – clavichors, arpanetta, psaltery, kanel

Aria
Phantasia in A minor
Phantasia in D major: Gavotte, Courante, Sarabanda, Giga
Phantasia in C major
Phantasia in D minor: Campanella
Phantasia in A major: Passepied, Rondeau, Giga
Phantasia in F major
Pastorel: Chaconne

7 August 2025, 7pm and 9pm
Evangelical Church of St Martin
Amici ‡ Scott ‡ Kinder

Conductus rondellus Flos regalis Anonymous (14th c., England)
Alleluia virga ferax Aaron Anonymous (14th c., England)
Motet Omnis terra Anonymous (14th c., England)
Mein einigs A Paul Hofhaimer (1459 – 1537), Ms. Leipzig I.191
Guillaume de Machaut (1300-1377) De toutes flours 
Guillaume de Machaut Esperance qui m’asseüre 
Guillaume de Machaut Tant doucement m’ont attrait / Eins que ma dame / Ruina 
Praeludium Anonymous (16th c.), Ms. Leipzig I.191
Heinrich Isaac (c. 1450–1517) Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen 
Ein Final Anonymous (16th c.), Ms. Leipzig I.191
Johannes Ciconia (1370-1412) Regina gloriosa 
Francesco Landini (c. 1325-1397) Sì dolce non sonò 
Johannes Ciconia Una Pantera 
Gilles de Binchois (c. 1400-1460) Triste Plaisir et douleureuse joye 
Paul Hofhaimer (1459-1537) Nach Willen dein Ms. Leipzig I.191
J’ay pris amour a ma devise Anonymous (XV w.), Dijon Ms. 517
J’ay pris amour a ma devise A Anonymous (XV w.), Perugia Ms. 1013
J’ay pris amour a ma devise B Anonymous (XV w.), Perugia Ms. 1013
Heinrich Isaac Jay pris amours a ma devise 
Guillaume de Machaut Amours me fait désirer 
Guillaume de Machaut Ma fin est ma commencement 

8 August 2025, 8:30pm
Basilica of the Holiest Heart of Jesus (Jesuit Basilica)
Guillaume Du Fay (1397–1474) Golden Mass: Missa Ecce ancilla Domini
Cappella Pratensis

Antiphon: O Adonai (Gregorian chant)
Introit: Rorate celi (Gregorian chant)
Guillaume Du Fay Missa Ecce ancilla Domini: Kyrie
Guillaume Du Fay Missa Ecce ancilla Domini: Gloria
Graduale I: Tollite portas (Gregorian chant)
Graduale II: Prope est Dominus (Gregorian chant)
Gospel: Luke 1:26–38 (Gregorian chant)
Guillaume Du Fay Missa Ecce ancilla Domini: Credo
Offertorium: Confortamini (Gregorian chant)
Preface (Gregorian chant)
Guillaume Du Fay Missa Ecce ancilla Domini: Sanctus
Pater noster (Gregorian chant)
Guillaume Du Fay Missa Ecce ancilla Domini: Agnus Dei
Communio: Ecce virgo concipiet (Gregorian chant)
Motet: Antoine Busnoys (c. 1430–1492) Regina caeli II
Antiphon: O Rex Gentium (Gregorian chant)

9 August 2025, 8:30pm
Corpus Christi Basilica
Linnamuusikud

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Rorate Masses at the Wawel Cathedral (in Latin)
(admission free, no entry cards required)

7, 8, 9 August 2025, 8am
Sigismund Chapel at the Wawel Cathedral