Not so long ago Capella Cracoviensis celebrated the 400th anniversary of the publication of the most important Polish work from this period, Offertories and Communiones Totius Anni by Mikołaj Zielenski (1611). The Polish composer was active during the period of intense stylistic changes, especially in music created in the Polish royal court. At that time, employed by King Sigismund III, Italian musicians composed and performed multi-choral works in Poland, both in Roman (Asprilio Pacelli) and Venetian stylistics. Also the works of other Italian artists, such as Giovanni Gabriele, were known in the Commonwealth. Thus, Zieleński, who composed under the influence of Italian music, could also improve his compositional skills on the spot without having to go to study abroad.
For Capella Cracoviensis, it is important to indicate cross-border cultural connections between a number of European countries, examples of which are: Italy, Poland, German countries and a common source of European culture, which in the 16th and 17th centuries was Italy. Common cultural achievements such as architectural, painting, sculptural, literary, printing and music radiated throughout Europe. Sensitizing the fundamental importance of international exchange for creating elementary foundations of national cultures is the direction of the development of creative activity and the way culture functions.
