Bernard Reichel

Trois Prières latines

In 1941, Bernard Reichel composed 'Trois Prières latines ' (Three Latin Prayers), which he dedicated to Charles Faller. The lyrics of these songs are extracted from psalms and perhaps reflect the tense atmosphere of war-torn Europe. For this edition we have used the two manuscripts listed in the complete catalog of Bernard Reichel's works: DR: E5-02 (1941) and DR: E5-03 (1948). It is possible that the first version of this work was premiered in La Chaux-de-Fonds under the direction of its dedicatee. While the first two 'Prières' appear almost identically in both manuscripts, Reichel composed a new 'Confitemini Domino' (3B) in 1948. This version (3B) entirely differs from the previous one (3A) and includes a simpler organ part, in contrast to the 'Confitemini Domino' 3A, which demands great virtuosity from the organist. This edition presents both versions(1941 and 1948), in order to give the choice to the performers.