Concert of the Ensemble VocalArt Brixen

This concert program presents a rich and diverse selection of sacred works that vividly illustrate the musical and spiritual variety of Romanticism and Late Romanticism. Liturgical themes are masterfully interpreted by leading composers of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
At the heart of the program are two works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, a key figure of Early Romanticism, who combined classical forms with Romantic expressiveness. The Sonata in D Major, Op. 65 No. 5 for organ opens the concert with its clearly structured, multi-movement design (Andante – Andante con moto – Allegro), contrasting contemplative passages with lively, rhythmically accented sections. Mendelssohn’s psalm settings “Richte mich Gott” (Judge Me, O God) and “Warum toben die Heiden” (Why Do the Heathen Rage) reflect both his close ties to Reformed Protestantism and his sensitive musical rendering of biblical texts, exploring themes of inner reflection and the struggle for faith in times of crisis.
Johannes Brahms’ “Schaffe in mir, Gott, ein rein Herz” (Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God) embodies his late, expressive musical language and his search for spiritual purity, while his Marienlieder highlight the breadth of Catholic Marian devotion.
The complex harmonies and dense textures in Max Reger’s meditative “Nachtlied” (Night Song) and “Unser lieben Frauen Traum” (Our Lady’s Dream) build a bridge between traditional church music and the late-Romantic sound world. The program concludes with Anton Bruckner’s solemn “Virga Jesse” and “Ave Maria.” A devout Catholic himself, Bruckner employs vast sonorities and rich choral symbolism to evoke Marian devotion and the theme of divine grace with striking intensity.

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