The Contemporary Polish Church Song in Honor of the Divine Mercy on the Example of Two Collections: “Songs for Divine Mercy” and “God Rich in Mercy”

Abstract

The contemporary song in honor of Divine Mercy develops relatively quickly. The study involved a collection of 56 songs included in the collection formed in the environment of Sanctuary in Łagiewniki in Krakow. The source of texts is St. Faustina’s Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul and psalms, and the poetic works of more than 20 authors. The melodies are original and come from 25 artists, with one exception the use of contrafactum. Structure of the text fits generally in the overall tendencies of Polish poetry, where the popular and dominant metric measurements are reflected in the studied texts (11-, 13-syllable), rhyme (female, perfect paroxytone), stanzas (4 verses of even rhymes and alternating, with predominance of the latter). Similarly, in the musical layer dominates two-parts form, with different elements (AB) systems of internal links: ab+cd, aa+a₁b, aa₁+bc, ab+cc₁ and ab+ca₁. Less numerous are three parts forms with types of structures AA₁B, ABA₁, ABB and ABC. Moreover, we find forms of refrains and psalms.