CANTICA SACRA LITUANICA /Juozas Naujalis. Motets
/ Jan Brant/ Juozas Gaubas/Česlovas Sasnauskas/ Jeronimas Kačinskas
SECD010, TT: 63’39”
Juozas Naujalis is a classic of Lithuanian church music and was the first Lithuanian composer to win considerable acclaim abroad: his music was published in Regensburg, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, Leipzig and Paris.  The style of the Regensburg School is best reflected in Naujalis’ motets and Masses. 15 motets(we can hear them on this CD) are related by liturgical texts about Easter. The music is full of intensity, nobility and depth, and in its mood is close to the work of the great Renaissance masters. Naujalis’motets are not only thecrowning achievement of his church music, but also a gem of all Lithuanian music. The cantata Abgels, Cry, also performed on this disc, is  one the most remerkable pieces in Naujalis’ work. 
The first ensemble to revive Naujalis’motets and present them to a wider audience in 1988 was Cantemus Choir, led by Laurynas Vakaris Lopas.