De Profundis (Out of the Depths), written in 1979, won second price in the Composers‘ Competition held in connection with the International Arthur Rubinstein Piano Competition, repeated in Israel for the third time in 1980.

„This composition mirrors my view and idea of the dramatic construction of Psalm 130. Its opening verse Out of the Depths have I cried unto Thee resounds in the extremely soft ly (pianissimo) played, noise-like chords and chordal movements, interrupted by periods of silence, and in the slowly widening bow of sound colours. Dramatic contrasts characterise the middle sections of the work: question-like accents are followed by vibrato passages (1/2 pedal) to parallel the verse If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, o Lord, who shall stand? Another rise in scope and colour stresses the accumulation of dramatic tension; the tonal spectrum is gradually brightened unti l towards the final section the tonal energy lessens and disappears in the upper registers, conforming with the Psalmist‘s words My soul watches for the Lord from one morning watch unto the other … and with Him is plenteous redemption.“

Gabriel Iranyi