Abstract

The novena, one of the forms of popular piety developing in many epochs, consists in turning to God more fervently for a period of nine days, months or years, typically through the intercession of a saint, in order to obtain a favor. This article is concerned with A Novena in Honor of St. Joseph in Songs with a Litany for a Two-Voice Choir contained in a collection of Fr. Franciszek Walczyński, priest of the Tarnów Diocese, musician, and teacher. The cult of St. Joseph flourished especially in the 15^th century. In 1870, Pope Pius IX proclaimed him patron of the Universal Church. Four out of the nine analyzed songs were earlier pieces which were given new melodies. The remaining ones were written entirely by Walczyński. The songs are stanzaic, mostly with four-line highly regular stanzas. Most lines have 11 or 8 syllables and exact and paired rhymes. One song has a mid-verse (intra-stanzaic) refrain. The songs have a two-part structure with various components AB retaining strict symmetry or deviating from it. The songs are highly melodious, which stems from the prevalence of seconds and thirds. The meter of the songs, with a few exceptions of 2-note melismas, is syllabic. The tonality is major-minor, with a predominance of the former. The analyzed songs are accessible and have a simple texture.