Kantyczkas, arba Kninga giesmiu (The hymnal)

The main meaning of the word kantyczka is ‘a hymnal’. The name of an actual book eventually acquired a general meaning, describing any prayer book or hymnal. The first Catholic songs were translated into Lithuanian by Mikalojus Daukša, and published in 1595 in the Catechism by Jacobus Ledisma, which was also translated by Daukša. The first Lithuanian Catholic hymn book, ‘Hymns Appropriate for the Catholic Faith’, compiled by the Jesuit Salomon Slawoczyński, appeared in 1646. The second Lithuanian hymn book, ‘The Voice of the Heart Calling to the Lord’, was published at the end of the 17th century (the first known edition was in 1726). This hymn book, compiled by the Jesuit Franciszek Szrubowski, went through 22 reprints.

The Reverend Vincentas Valmikas, who revised ‘The Voice of the Heart’ in 1820 and published it under the title ‘Samogitian Kantyczkas’, is an important figure in the history of Lithuanian hymn books. Bishop Motiejus Valančius revised and supplemented these ‘Kantyczkas’ and oversaw their distribution. The kantyczkas, or hymn books, by Valančius continued to be published throughout the 19th century, even during the period of the press ban and into the early 20th century. In total, five editions and 30 reprints are known. The Ellex Valiunas book collection has 14 copies of kantyczkas from different editions and reprints.

Text authors Rolandas Gustaitis and Algimantas Muzikevičius.

 

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album ARS LIBRI (2022). Compiler Algimantas Muzikevičius, text authors Algimantas Muzikevičius, Rolandas Gustaitis

The main meaning of the word kantyczka is ‘a hymnal’. The name of an actual book eventually acquired a general meaning, describing any prayer book or hymnal. The first Catholic songs were translated into Lithuanian by Mikalojus Daukša, and published in 1595 in the Catechism by Jacobus Ledisma, which was also translated by Daukša. The first Lithuanian Catholic hymn book, ‘Hymns Appropriate for the Catholic Faith’, compiled by the Jesuit Salomon Slawoczyński, appeared in 1646. The second Lithuanian hymn book, ‘The Voice of the Heart Calling to the Lord’, was published at the end of the 17th century (the first known edition was in 1726). This hymn book, compiled by the Jesuit Franciszek Szrubowski, went through 22 reprints.

The Reverend Vincentas Valmikas, who revised ‘The Voice of the Heart’ in 1820 and published it under the title ‘Samogitian Kantyczkas’, is an important figure in the history of Lithuanian hymn books. Bishop Motiejus Valančius revised and supplemented these ‘Kantyczkas’ and oversaw their distribution. The kantyczkas, or hymn books, by Valančius continued to be published throughout the 19th century, even during the period of the press ban and into the early 20th century. In total, five editions and 30 reprints are known. The Ellex Valiunas book collection has 14 copies of kantyczkas from different editions and reprints.

Text authors Rolandas Gustaitis and Algimantas Muzikevičius.

 

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album ARS LIBRI (2022). Compiler Algimantas Muzikevičius, text authors Algimantas Muzikevičius, Rolandas Gustaitis