Pocta sv. Cecílii 2025 - Live, Divadlo Bez zábradlí, Praha, 23. listopadu 2025

This live recording captures thirty years of November concerts honouring St. Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. Jiří Stivín moves the project from the Rudolfinum to the intimate Divadlo Bez zábradlí in Prague, where the chamber atmosphere brings free improvisation to life. Collegium Quodlibet features Jan Feč on alto saxophone, Martin Zbrožek on violin, Ian Mikyska on guitar and viol, Jiřina Marešová on organ, Veronika Vítová on vocals, Jiří Slavík on double bass and Jiří Stivín Jr. on drums, creating space for dialogue across the centuries. The programme ranges from Renaissance composer Melchior Franck through Telemann, J. S. Bach, Arvo Pärt, Chick Corea and Erik Satie to the Brazilian bossa nova of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Jazz classics including “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “St. Thomas”, together with Stivín’s compositions “Poznávání”, “Duel” and “Polověta”, show that genre boundaries are merely conventions for him. The programme also includes “Da pacem Domine” and variations, part of the Sonata in G minor, the “Réjouissance” from the Suite in A minor, “Recitativ z Matoušových pašijí” and variations, “Children’s Songs: No. 6”, “Gymnopedia No. 3”, “Dindi”, “Preludium c moll a variace”, “Chega de Saudade / No More Blues” and “Dobrú noc”.