« Ave Maria » for organ

1985
Duration : 3 minutes

At the beginning of Summer 1985, at the Ministry of Culture’s invitation, I attended, a Congress of Sacred Music which was held in Pont-à-Mousson (Meurthe-et-Moselle).
The meetings included some very exciting and striking moments.
Following these events I was asked by the « Agence Technique de l’Orgue de la Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur » to participate in a competition of composition for organ : it was a matter of promoting the liturgical gregorian chant’s heritage through pieces written in a contemporary language for a two-manual-and-one-pedalboard organ, easy enough to be performed by most of parish organists.
I wrote this piece as a consequence of this Congress : it was my way of expressing my gratitude and appreciation.
On the other hand, it was in my early youth that by chance I was introduced into the gregorian chant by a college chaplain, who had a strong personality : he was a Benedictine monk from « La Source » Abbey (Paris), was very fond of music, and deeply motivated to teach children and teenagers the gregorian cantilena in the best tradition.
This is the origin of this short unpretentious piece for organ.
The selection committee, with Daniel Roth as foreman of the jury, retained five pieces, one of them is this « Ave Maria ».

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