Pièce poétique (un hommage à Allegri et son “Miserere”) (2006)

Felix Bräuer (b. 1988) — Pièce poétique (un hommage à Allegri et son “Miserere”) (2006) for organ

"Pièce poétique (un hommage à Allegri et son “Miserere”)" (2006) is inspired by the most famous composition of the Italian composer Gregorio Allegri (1582–1652). Allegri’s Miserere mei, Deus (a setting of Psalm 51) is well known for its history of performance at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. For many years, the work was forbidden from performance or distribution outside of the Vatican, and thus a sense of mystery grew up around it. The first known “unauthorized” copy was made from memory by a 14-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart after a trip to the Vatican. Bräuer’s work is a meditation for the lush organ colors. It begins with contemplative music that is interrupted by a brief section of agitation. In the final section, the Allegri theme is heard directly before a reposed conclusion.

German-Sorbian composer and organist Felix Bräuer (b. 1988) was born in Görlitz and was educated in Bautzen, Dresden, and Paderborn. In 2005, he became an organist for the Catholic cathedral community “St. Petri” in Bautzen and has held several other organ and choral positions. In addition to his work as an organist and church musician, Bräuer has written many works of sacred music. In 2012 he won the first and second prizes in the composition competition of the Federation of Sorbian Singing Societies.