On 5 May 1791, the Assembled Estates passed an act for the erection of the Temple as the Nation’s Offering of thanksgiving for the new Constitution. Construction work began twice, but was interrupted by wars and partitions of Poland. Only the present, third attempt to fulfil the ancestral vows has proved successful. The project of the Temple was revived on the initiative of Cardinal Józef Glemp, Primate of Poland, and later taken up by his successor, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, the Archbishop of Warsaw. Fund collection and construction work have been coordinated by the Divine Providence Centre, established by Cardinal Nycz, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Warsaw.

 

On 11 November 2016, the Polish National Independence Day, a solemn mass was concelebrated at the Temple in the presence of the Republic of Poland’s highest authorities represented by the Primate of Poland, Archbishop Wojciech Polak, and the President of the Polish Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, delivering the homily. Michał Lorenc’s composition had its world premiere at the Temple of Divine Providence on the same day.

 

The Covenant by Michał Lorenc is a world-class symphonic work on national subjects. 'A covenant is a kind of a pact between the powerful and the weak, entered into on the initiative of the stronger party', explains the composer. 'The Temple is a gift of gratitude presented by the weak creatures that we are to the Creator. It is a token of reconciliation and peace.'

 

The work was produced by Rafał Paczkowski at Abbey Road Studios and Polish Radio Studios with the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Lee Reynolds. The soloists include Katarzyna Laskowska (soprano), Robert Pożarski (cantor, expert in Gregorian chant and early vocal music), Adam Strug (singer and instrumentalist, ethnomusicologist), Małgorzata Szarlik-Woźniak (violin), Marta Maślanka (dulcimer), Mohammad Rasouli (ney), Damian Marat (trumpet), and Michał Woźniak (double-bass).

 

Michał Lorenc is one of the greatest contemporary Polish composers, who has written the music for more than 180 films, TV series, documentaries and theatre productions. He has collaborated with major film directors from Poland, Czech Republic, Great Britain and the United States. In 1989, his music for 300 Miles to Heaven was nominated for the Felix European Film Award and won the Wyspiański Prize of the Polish Prime Minister. In 1996, he collaborated with US director Bob Rafelson in Los Angeles on the soundtrack for Blood and Wine, which received an Oscar nomination, and with Jerzy Bogajewicz on the music for Exit in Red.

Michał Lorenc is also five-time winner of the Grand Prix at Gdynia Film Festival (Festival of Polish Feature Films) for his soundtracks for Pigs (1992), Provocateur (1995), Bastard (1997), Early Spring (2001) and All Will Be Well (2007). Lorenc’s music for Little Rose (2010) and John Paul II: I Kept Looking for You has enjoyed great popularity in recent years. His music for the latter was performed live during the beatification ceremony of John Paul II. On 3 May 2016, Michał Lorenc was honored with the Order of the White Eagle – the oldest and highest state order of the Republic of Poland.

The album was produced on the initiative of the Divine Providence Centre and the Museum of John Paul II and Primate Wyszyński, and will be released as a digital album, CD and on vinyl.