Paulin Bajan

Slovak franciscan priest, organist and composer of baroque period. He got his musical education in Skalica from the choirmaster Istvansky. As a tenor singer of the Jesuit College he got a chance to learn current church music. In 1740 he was incepted in the Franciscan Order. He was an organist in Eger, Hungary, studied theology in Vacz, Hungary; he was priested in Trnava, 1746. After further studies in Levice, he returned to Vacz to work as singing master at the noviciate. He applied for the position anywhere in the Slovakian environment but instead, he was sent back to Eger where he was strongly persecuted by his Hungarian superiors. After 9 years of humiliation he finally came to Slovakia (Presov, Hlohovec, Beckov and Skalica in the end), where he served as both organist and preacher. He sympathized with the unprivileged people but fell in disfavour of local aristocracy because he critisized their luxurious way of life. He fell blind for the last 7 years of his life.
His unique pastorales on Slovak and latin lyrics are a good evidence of integration of baroque style and traditional pastoral music.

Works:
A lot of pastorales and more complex compositions (ofertorias), in most cases only organ parts have passed on.
From the preserved composite books and hymn-books the most valuable one is the Hymn Book of Skalica.

Sources:

Samples: