Elegie (1990)

Günther Firlinger (b. 1951) — Elegie (1990) for organ

“Elegie” (1990) is based on a musical theme by the Austrian composer Josef Matthias Hauer (1883–1959) from his oratorio “Wundlungen”, op. 53. The theme is a setting of lines from “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles, as translated into German by Frederich Hölderlin.

“Weh! Weh! Weh! Weh!
Ach! ich Unglücklicher! Wohin auf Erden
Werd ich getragen, ich Leidender?
Wo breitet sich um und bringt mich die Stimme?
Io! Dämon! wo reißest du hin?”

“Woe! Woe! Woe! Woe!
O miserable me! Where on earth
Am I carried, I who am the suffered?
Where does the voice spread and bring me?
Lo! Demon! Where are you going?”

Austrian composer and organist Günther Firlinger (b. 1951) was born in Linz and studied there, in Salzburg, and in Paris. His teachers included Hedwig Ebermann, Helmut Eder, and Jean Langlais. In his professional career, he has held many musical positions in Salzburg and has been active as a performer, composer, director, educator, and church musician. From 1989 until his retirement in 2016, he was a member of the faculty of the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg.