O Emmanuel

Andrej Makor, currently a master student of composition at the Conservatorio Cesare Pollini in Padua, has already won numerous international composition prizes. The highly respected works by the artist born in Slovenia in 1987 are performed by renowned choirs, ensembles and soloists at prestigious competitions and festivals, among others. His composition O Emmanuel for which he was awarded the 2nd prize of the International Composition Competition 'Musica Sacra Nova' 2016 is based on the original Gregorian chant of the last of a total of seven so-called O antiphons which are sung at the seven Advent days with the Magnificat at Vespers in anticipation of Christmas Eve. Makor's score which follows the traditional motet form but is structured in a more modern form begins with the original Gregorian chorale. Its melody runs through various voice groupings in the course of the piece. In the concluding 'Domine Deus noster' whose pressing character becomes obvious in the constantly recurring triplet figurations of the middle parts, the work imbued with the idea of eternity reaches its extremely impressive climax.