Another BUWr project successfully completed
The Library of the University of Wrocław has completed its project titled “Muzykalia dawnej biblioteki szkolnej Zgromadzenia św. Urszuli we Wrocławiu. Upowszechnienie zasobu”.
The project funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Social Responsibility of Science II-support for scientific libraries programme) included the cataloging of musical works from the former library of the Congregation of the Ursuline Sisters of the Roman Union in Wrocław and was carried out from December 2, 2024, to March 1, 2026.
Ever since their arrival in Wrocław, the Ursulines were associated with both evangelization and education. After settling in the capital of Silesia, they established a girls’ school that provided education to young women from diverse social backgrounds and religious denominations. Their extensive educational activities allowed the congregation to avoid suppression following the issuance of the royal secularization decree in 1810. Despite various difficulties and restrictions imposed by the authorities, the Ursulines continued to fulfill their pedagogical mission without interruption.
The school provided not only general education but also practical training, language instruction, and intensive music education. The scale of the latter is evidenced by the extensive collection of sheet music transferred to the University Library, which often contains numerous performance annotations. Students participated in the school choir, provided the musical setting for the liturgy, and were actively involved in the school’s musical life – a fact reflected in the many manuscript songbooks. The significance of music in the educational process is further underscored by the existence of a school music studio.
The project resulted in the cataloging of 250 printed scores and 100 music manuscripts, all of which are now accessible via international library databases. Adhering to the MARC21 standard, the team produced enriched bibliographic records featuring comprehensive descriptors and detailed, copy descriptions. These records have been integrated into both the Library
of the University of Wrocław catalog and the Combined Catalogues of the Polish National Library. Furthermore, the manuscript descriptions can be now located through the RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales) database.
The newly cataloged manuscripts feature works by masters as Franz Schubert and Ludwig van Beethoven, alongside composers like Joseph Stein, Peter Piel, Ignatz Troumihler, Peter Griesbacher, Kaspar Aiblinger, and Adam Krieger. The Polish character of the collection is highlighted by a selection of carols and hymns, most notably a rare setting of Juliusz Słowacki’s “Boga Rodzico Dziewico.” Completing the collection are two hymns dedicated to Saint Ursula: the Polish Marsz uszulański and the German St. Ursula. The latter is written in fine calligraphy on a page adorned with an illustration of the historic convent buildings.
The collection of printed music is equally diverse. In addition to local publications, it includes works from across Europe. While the repertoire is predominantly religious, secular works are also present. This includes piano, flute, lute, and guitar textbooks.
The collection comprises materials from the mid-19th century through the 1940s. As in previous phases of the project, many items retain distinct provenance marks, including bookplates, historical shelf marks, and the scribes’ personal ownership annotations.
The completion of this project and its media dissemination have deepened our understanding of the history of music education for youth in Wrocław and serve as a catalyst for further research in the field. By providing open access to these descriptions in online catalogues and international databases, the entire collection has become a valuable and easily accessible scientific resource worldwide.
Translated by Hanna Jordanek (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
Author: Mirosław Osowski, Music Collections Department, Library of the University of Wrocław (BUWr)
Publication date: March 9, 2026
Editor: M.J.
