Description
Night Prayers, David Ianni’s op. 79, is also the name of his current album, which presents a selection of his own compositions. In addition to his career as a pianist, which began in Luxembourg as a sixteen-year-old, his greatest passion has always been to compose. He has already written over 100 works. At age 15, David Ianni achieved the “Premier Prix avec grande distinction” upon completion of his piano studies with Daniel Feis at the Conservatoire d’Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg. Following this, he studied with such teachers as Anatol Ugorski and Dirk Joeres until completing his studies at the Maastricht Conservatory in 2005. He concertized in many European countries as well as in India and Japan. The Luxembourg pianist’s compositions express harmony and contemplation. This includes both sensitive and mystical pieces as well as the musical realization of prayers: Night Prayers. As a devout Christian, Ianni pursues the idea of transcendence in his compositions, and wishes to thus touch the emotions of listeners.
Foreword - P. Karl Wallner OCist
Music and religion belong together like fish and the ocean, light and life, the voice and the ear. In the entire universe, we humans are probably the only beings capable of creating and hearing music. The ability to hear is one of the specific gifts that our Creator gave us. Our fragile blue planet is surrounded by a thin layer of gases only a few kilometers high. Only this atmosphere enables our life, and this atmosphere is the reason why sound waves can spread through the air. Everything beyond this atmosphere is ruled by the sheer endless vacuum of outer space, where galaxies and stars explode and implode in impenetrable silence. According to the biblical narrative, the world began when God broke through this deadly quiet: “And God said: Let there be light!” (Genesis 1:1) God spoke – and light and life resulted from His audible voice. Because life was created by the word, it depends on the word. This is why it is in the nature of every person to listen. Like a parabolic mirror, our souls are created to listen to the eternal space of the hereafter, to try and sense whether a word, a sound or a voice is trying to reach us from there, in order to fill us with meaning.
David Ianni is such a brilliant artist because he is a hearing, a listening one. He lived with us at the Stift Heiligenkreuz monastery in the Wienerwald (close to Vienna) during a decisive period of his life, listening to the sound of eternity together with us. With his “Mystical Piano Dreams”, he carries the most beautiful manifestation of the monastic life into the world: the reassuring power that comes from listening to the divine secret. The rule of the order of St. Benedict († 547) begins with the words “Ausculta, o fili! Listen, my son!” As faithful Christians, listening to God is no longer a desperate search. We know that something is speaking to us from eternity.
David Ianni’s “Night Prayers” developed from his listening to God, of whom his music sings praises. This is why his works not only have the power to slow down the soul, but also to draw listeners into an inner dialog that can give them deep peace and vital strength.
Pater Dr. Karl Wallner OCist
www.stift-heiligenkreuz.at
David Ianni is such a brilliant artist because he is a hearing, a listening one. He lived with us at the Stift Heiligenkreuz monastery in the Wienerwald (close to Vienna) during a decisive period of his life, listening to the sound of eternity together with us. With his “Mystical Piano Dreams”, he carries the most beautiful manifestation of the monastic life into the world: the reassuring power that comes from listening to the divine secret. The rule of the order of St. Benedict († 547) begins with the words “Ausculta, o fili! Listen, my son!” As faithful Christians, listening to God is no longer a desperate search. We know that something is speaking to us from eternity.
David Ianni’s “Night Prayers” developed from his listening to God, of whom his music sings praises. This is why his works not only have the power to slow down the soul, but also to draw listeners into an inner dialog that can give them deep peace and vital strength.
Pater Dr. Karl Wallner OCist
www.stift-heiligenkreuz.at
Night Prayers - David Ianni
I remember well that when I was nine years old, I took a piece of lined music paper, sharpened my pencil and wrote “Symphony No. 1 by David Ianni” in large children’s writing at the top of the page. The rest of the page remained blank, however, because I had only been attending music school for a few months – and could hardly read or write musical notes. But I knew that I wanted to become a composer one day.
During the following years, I enthusiastically absorbed everything I could about music and the great composers, becoming a passionate piano student. At 15, I graduated from the conservatory and debuted one year later with Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in Luxembourg. Composition receded into the background, and I began a promising career as a soloist, but performing in and of itself did not fulfill me. On the contrary, the more success I had as a pianist, the more lonely and unhappy I became. My own music wanted to come out of me – I had to compose.
Two years after my debut, I withdrew in order to pursue my childhood dream. I composed and began to pray. Over the course of time, I found not only my musical identity, but also my belief in God, whom I thank an infinite amount. Musical prayers, prayed-for music – this is what I had been looking for! Not all of my questions are answered, but I have found a musical language that is making my yearning for harmony and peace audible. If my music touches you, dear listener, and gives you moments of contemplation and optimism, I will feel myself all the more richly rewarded.
David Ianni
During the following years, I enthusiastically absorbed everything I could about music and the great composers, becoming a passionate piano student. At 15, I graduated from the conservatory and debuted one year later with Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in Luxembourg. Composition receded into the background, and I began a promising career as a soloist, but performing in and of itself did not fulfill me. On the contrary, the more success I had as a pianist, the more lonely and unhappy I became. My own music wanted to come out of me – I had to compose.
Two years after my debut, I withdrew in order to pursue my childhood dream. I composed and began to pray. Over the course of time, I found not only my musical identity, but also my belief in God, whom I thank an infinite amount. Musical prayers, prayed-for music – this is what I had been looking for! Not all of my questions are answered, but I have found a musical language that is making my yearning for harmony and peace audible. If my music touches you, dear listener, and gives you moments of contemplation and optimism, I will feel myself all the more richly rewarded.
David Ianni
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Videos
Tracklisting
1. Falling Pearls op. 1 - I. Magic Mirror
2. Falling Pearls op. 1 - II. Night of Tears
3. Falling Pearls op. 1 - III. Farewell
4. White Rose op. 40
5. Ballade no. 1 op. 39
6. Ballade no. 2 op. 64
7. Ballade no. 3 op. 78
8. Song of the Stars op. 41
9. Night Prayers op. 79 - I. Ave Maria
10. Night Prayers op. 79 - II. Sanctus
11. Night Prayers op. 79 - III. Nunc dimittis
12. Love Letters op. 62 - I. You
13. Love Letters op. 62 - II. Yearning
14. Love Letters op. 62 - III. Love Song
15. Sonata no. 1 op. 65
2. Falling Pearls op. 1 - II. Night of Tears
3. Falling Pearls op. 1 - III. Farewell
4. White Rose op. 40
5. Ballade no. 1 op. 39
6. Ballade no. 2 op. 64
7. Ballade no. 3 op. 78
8. Song of the Stars op. 41
9. Night Prayers op. 79 - I. Ave Maria
10. Night Prayers op. 79 - II. Sanctus
11. Night Prayers op. 79 - III. Nunc dimittis
12. Love Letters op. 62 - I. You
13. Love Letters op. 62 - II. Yearning
14. Love Letters op. 62 - III. Love Song
15. Sonata no. 1 op. 65
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Photo: © Monika Schulz-Fieguth