Gaetano Braga: Works

Gaetano Braga (June 9, 1829 – November 21, 1907) was an Italian composer and cellist. His works include compositions for the cello (two concertos, a quintet, a quartet, and works for cello and piano) and several operas.

Braga's Angel's Serenade (also called Der Engel Lied, La serenata, Légende Valaque, and Wallachian Legend) was originally composed for voice, cello (or violin), and piano. The piece depicts a conversation between a young girl, who hears an angel calling to her, and her worried mother, who doesn’t want to lose her child. The music is deceptively calm, melodic, and tranquil, in contrast to the tragic story it conveys. La serenata is mentioned in Anton Chekhov's short story The Black Monk, as well as in other Russian works of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.