This collection of Bernd Wilden's sacred works is a great testament to the music of our time. His music draws its archaic power from Gregorian chant, which he moulds with dramatic flair and an acute eye for tone colour. Immediately moving and transcendental in its grandiose climaxes, this is authentic music "on par with Richard Strauss and Igor Stravinsky", as one critic observed.
Sinfonia for Organ and Orchestra fuses medieval plainsong with minimalist techniques, giving rise to colourful, pulsating and constantly changing soundscapes where the Gregorian melody is fleetingly echoed again and again. After a lively scherzo, the three-movement work ends with a grand potheosis, beautifully emphasised by the rich tones of the Eule organ in the magnificent acoustics of Neustadter Marienkirche, where the world premiere performance took place.
Wilden himself plays the organ in Tryptique, based on hymns and sequences for Easter, Pentecost and Advent. The composer envelops the premonition of Christmas in an almost mystical sound; the joy of Easter breaks out in thrilling dance rhythms and the heavenly roar of the miracle of Pentecost is literally palpable.
Bernd Wilden's setting of the 115th psalm is an impressive example of sacred contemporary music, a work that succeeds in reaching out to people without pandering to the whims of popular music. The commissioned work for the 800th anniversary of the city of Bielefeld combines a testimony of faith and a prayer of blessing. The final hallelujah is a brilliant arc presented by the choir, organ and orchestra in impressive colours. Whether in stereo or in 2+2+2 multi-channel reproduction, a sublime listening experience unfolds.
