Mikołaj Gomółka (ca.1535 - post 1591)

We know quite a lot about his life, especially when compared to other composers. He was born in Sandomierz in 1535, in a townspeople family. At the age of 10, Gomó?ka was introduced to the court of King Zygmunt August, where he received his music education and played in the royal music ensemble. He left the court in the year 1563, and in 1566 went back to his home town, Sandomierz, and got married. Gomó?ka played a significant role in the political life of the city, as a member (1567) and head (1572) of the city council. In the years 1590-1591 he stayed with his son in a court of Jan Zamoyski. The date of his death isn't certain, it is only suspected that Gomó?ka died in Jaz?owiec, March 5, 1609.
In 1580 Miko?aj Gomó?ka published Melodie na Psałterz polski - a complete work of settings to all 150 of the psalms. This is probably his only published musical work, but a very important one. It was made to the translations of psalms from Latin to Polish, done by Jan Kochanowski, certainly the most renowned Polish poet of the Renaissance. The compositions gained a big popularity, especially among school choirs and instrumental groups. The compositions are usually simple and easy to perform; it was the intention of Gomó?ka to make them easy enough to be performed not only by skilled musicians.

The Psalms

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