Alliance Music Pub

Composer: Ivo Antognini
Format: Choral Octavo
Voicing: SA with piano accompaniment

Composer's Notes:
"Kyrie Eleison" is a tribute to J.S. Bach, who is probably one of the most transcendental composers that has ever existed. His music has an extraordinary power over me. It transports me to the centre of the universe, and is both calming and energizing. Bach's music gives me joy and touches me deeply. I wrote this piece during a very difficult time in my life. I was 21 years old, and was going through an existential crisis. One evening, I entered our town church, sat down at the organ, and began to improvise. As tears streamed down my face, the notes of this Kyrie Eleison emerged.

I wrote a version for piano that remained in my repertoire for years, and I decided to convert it into a piece for SATB choir. It was sung on a few occasions by church choirs, but then it seemed to disappear. It always stayed in my memory, and every now and again I played it, alone, at the piano. In 2008, I transcribed it for two equal voices and keyboard, and gave it to my dear friend Mario Fontana, the director of Coro Calicantus, of which I am the composer-in-residence.

In 2012, to my great surprise, Mario's choir performed it during a concert at the Saint Theodule de Gruyeres church in Switzerland. I didn't even know that they had learned my Kyrie! It was a very emotional moment: to listen to this piece after so many years. It was difficult to hold back tears.