Sacred music works for piano – Part II

The Piano Festival of the Greek National Opera Alternative Stage contributes to the solemn atmosphere of the Holy Week with two concerts of sacred music works that will be held in the historic and majestic hall of the Parnassos Literary Society.

The programme wanders through compositional concerns about the Divine, captured in transcriptions or original works for piano, from Renaissance to this date. Feelings of repentance, redemption, and expiation are evoked through the rich and multidimensional sound of leading pianists.

PROGRAMME:

1. Piano for two (Beata Pincetić – Christos Sakellaridis)

György Kurtág (b. 1926)

Transciptions for two pianos

Guillaume de Machaut (1300-1377)

Missa & Doulz viare gracius

Orlando di Lasso (1530;-1594)

Qui sequitur me

Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643)

Corrente III, IV

Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672)

Matthäus Passion (Fragment)

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Fantasia upon one note

J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Alle Menschen müssen sterben (All people must die), BWV 643

Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (God’s time is the very best time) (Sonatina), BWV 106

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (Out of deep distress I cry out to you), BWV 687

O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig (O Lamb of God, innocent), BWV deest

Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Her (Only God in the highest be honour), BWV 711

Christum wir sollen loben schon (Christ we should already praise), BWV 611

Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier (b) (Dearest Jesus, we are here), BWV 633

Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig (Oh how trivial, oh how fleeting), BWV 644

2. Melina Tsinavou

Johann Sebastian Bach / Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924)

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland / Saviour of the nations, come BWV 659

César Franck (1822-1890) / Harold Bauer (1873-1951)

Prelude, Fugue, and Variation, Op. 18

Johann Sebastian Bach

Prelude and Fugue in A-flat major, BWV 886 (2nd Book)

3. Aristotelis Papadimitriou

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-flat major, Op. 26

Ι. Andante con variazioni

ΙΙ. Scherzo: Allegro molto – Trio

ΙΙΙ. Marcia funebre sulla morte d’un eroe: Maestoso andante

IV. Allegro

Johann Sebastian Bach

Toccata in E minor, ΒWV 914

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

Prelude, No. 8 – Un reflet dans le vent (A reflection in the wind)

Parnassos Literary Society

The Parnassos Literary Society, the oldest society of Athens, is housed in one of the most prominent listed buildings of Athens at the Square of St George, at 8 Karytsi St. It was founded in 1865 in Athens by the children of numismatist Pavlos Lampros with the goal of contributing to the spiritual, social, and moral improvement of the Greek people through various events. Today it hosts a multitude of cultural events like concerts, recitals, choirs, book presentations, scientific conferences, corporate events and seminars. It also has a remarkable library and a painting exhibition with 250 works by Greek painters. The Parnassos Literary Society has been honoured three times for its work at the Paris International Exhibition.

 First Sacred Music Festival info leaflet available to read and download here