Celestial Harmony: The Lullabies of Mariano Garau and the Poetic Echo of Silvio Tessi
By Little People School / 19 May 2026
Within the vast landscape of artistic expression, music and poetry often merge to give rise to works of profound emotional and spiritual resonance. A significant example of this synergy can be seen in the work of Maestro Mariano Garau and in the introduction by the writer Silvio Tessi, with particular reference to the “Lullaby for Peace” project. This artistic collaboration not only celebrates the intrinsic beauty of melodies and verses, but also serves as a vehicle for a universal message of peace, innocence and humanity – values which, in a world of constant tension, take on great psychological significance and an even more pressing meaning.
The “Lullaby for Peace” Concert-Narrative: A Universal Musical Journey
At the heart of this artistic exploration lies the “Lullaby for Peace”, a concert-narrative that takes the form of a musical journey through the melodies that lull children to sleep across the globe. These lullabies – whether traditional or composed pieces, in Sardinian and Italian, or drawn from the rich traditions of Spain, the Neapolitan nativity scene tradition or even South America – share a single purpose: to help little ones find sleep and peace. In an age when the word ‘war’ has never fallen out of use – and in which children are the first and most vulnerable victims – the significance of these melodies transcends their mere function of lulling children to sleep, becoming a hymn to protection and hope.
The “Lullaby for Peace” project, as well as being a concert, serves as a moment, a place and a voice that reawakens the child within us, inviting us to uphold the value of innocence and not to lose our humanity. This aspiration of art and culture in general, as has been expressed in other contexts, is fundamental to stimulating discussion and reflection on what is real and important, beyond the superficialities of everyday life. It is a call to our conscience, to that soul which, as observed in certain art forms, is not merely visual but mystical, and invites a profound perception of the entire spatiality of existence.
Christmas music, which in December reaches every corner of the world, bringing great excitement to all the choirs, found fertile ground for this vision in Portoscuso during the 1990s. It was against this backdrop that Maestro Mariano Garau She led a group of young, enthusiastic people – including Rita, Cristina, Vincenzo, Carla, Nicoletta, Battista, Dolores, Lisa and many others – in preparing songs for services and concerts. These talented young people have rehearsed not only liturgical and traditional pieces, but also new music, written for the new children arriving in the world – inspired melodies that capture the anticipation of little boys and girls for the gifts they will receive, albeit subject to their behaviour. The exhibition activities in 2001, with the emergence of new works, and the events of 2004, such as participation in Turin and the Osio Biennial National Painting Competition, Bergamo, bear witness to a phase of intense creativity manifesting itself across various artistic disciplines – a fervour that also spills over into music.
Mariano Garau: A Master of Melody, Sacredness and Poetry
Mariano Garau emerges as a central figure in this artistic narrative. Described as a Master, Garau He has poured his heart and soul into a prestigious book, a work which, according to the writer Silvio Tessi, only a musician of equal talent would be capable of presenting in a fitting manner. This recognition underlines the exceptional nature of his contribution. Garau He is described as an artist who was once a pupil of Don Allori and who, like his teacher, honours the town of Iglesias, the cradle of his training and artistic journey. This connection to his origins and to a well-established tradition, whilst exploring new forms, reflects one of the constants in creativity: the search for a solid foundation whilst remaining open to experimentation, as can be seen in the work of artists who, starting from their “first love” of engraving, combine this with techniques such as weaving, or who use simple materials such as collage or tempera to express profound concepts.
His notes, which Tessi describes as celestial, draw the listener in in a way that goes beyond mere musical enjoyment. Those with a sensitivity for and love of music – regarded as a divine art – can grasp the myriad sensations evoked by these melodic notes. The solemnity and composed harmony emanating from the work are perceived as a clear, iridescent source from which flows a moving aura of sacredness. This mystical and almost transcendent dimension of his music, which transports the listener to lofty and sublime heights, is a recurring element in the description of profound art, not only visual but also auditory. Similarly, works such as De Luca’s “painting of light” or Klee’s “structures of the invisible” seek to unveil a reality that is not immediately visible, raising questions about the essence of light that no longer wishes to serve the purpose of seeing, but simply to be. Thus, the music of Garau, it is not merely a matter of hearing, but an experience that prompts one to feel, to grasp the workings of the mind and colours imbued with profound symbolic meaning, in an abstract exploration centred on light.
The music pages of the Maestro Garau They have the power to greatly ennoble poetic texts. They transport those who perform them – and even more so those who listen to them – into a realm of genuine spiritual enjoyment, a true foretaste of the Celestial Aura towards which we strive with our minds, our hearts and our emotions. This interplay between music and poetry bears witness to the power of art to strike the deepest chords of existence, offering a form of sublimation—perhaps even of death, as some philosophers have suggested. This process is not merely aesthetic; it also has psychological significance, offering a space where one can relax after an exhausting day, where the soul can finally “find peace”. The works of Garau, with their lightness and delicacy, whilst alluding to indomitable forces, express a deep need to rediscover oneself and to share these discoveries with others.
Silvio Tessi: The Narrative Voice of the Artistic Message
Silvio Tessi, in his capacity as a writer, plays a crucial role in presenting the work of Mariano Garau. His enthusiasm for the Maestro’s heavenly notes captivates him to such an extent that he feels compelled to pay a spontaneous tribute to the artist. This account is not merely a review, but an act of profound admiration that highlights the emotional and spiritual impact of the music of Garau. Tessi does not merely describe the work, but interprets its deeper meaning, acting as a bridge between the musical composition and the audience, thereby amplifying its impact.
Tessi’s work highlights the importance of criticism and storytelling in art. Through her words, the compositions of Garau they take on an additional dimension – that of reflection and analysis – which enriches the listener’s perception. The ability of a critic or presenter to capture and convey the essence of a work is fundamental to its dissemination and understanding. This role, as seen in other presentations of works of art, is that of being “introduced by a performance” or by a description that guides the audience towards greater attention and reflection. Tessi’s narration becomes an integral part of the artistic experience, an “alphabetic language” that complements the musical language to convey and deepen the message, transforming perception into an act of consciousness.
The bond between the composer and the writer, which manifests itself in their mutual celebration of each other’s arts, reflects a broader trend in contemporary culture. The fusion of different disciplines – from painting to poetry, and from music to dance – creates an interdisciplinary dialogue that enriches the artistic landscape. The collaboration between Garau And Tessi is not an isolated case, but forms part of a wider context in which creativity is constantly exploring new ways to communicate and express the anxieties and hopes of a complex humanity. Art, in all its forms – from painting, which engages with primary architectural forms and the vision of the Absolute, to music, which with its notes – “at times tender, at others anguished” – embodies the metaphor of small human lives – is a reflection of the human condition: often ambiguous, rich in recognisable elements yet devoid of anatomical realism, a mystery within a mystery.
The Psychological and Spiritual Significance of Lullabies
Lullabies, at the heart of the project by Garau, have always held great psychological significance for humankind. They are the first melodies to welcome a defenceless child into the world, offering comfort and security. They represent a safe haven where one can find peace after a day or a period of great difficulty. This concept of refuge and peace stands in stark contrast to the “desperate times that the whole of humanity is currently experiencing”, characterised by events that tend to stifle every glimmer of healthy intellectual individualism. The lullabies of Garau, in this sense, they present themselves as an antidote, a “hope for humankind” that calls on us to reclaim what is real and important, starting with individual free will and the ability to dream.
The spiritual dimension, so vividly described by Tessi in relation to Garau’s compositions, is by no means secondary. The ’aura of sacredness“ and the ”spiritual enjoyment“ that derive from it are a reference to a ”mystical aesthetic experience“ that elevates the soul, transforming music into a veritable ”diaphany of the divine“. This is the painting of a soul – not a visual one – which manifests itself through sounds that touch the ”structures of the invisible“, as Klee would have put it: those profound perceptions that sight alone cannot grasp. The music of Garau, therefore, is not merely a sequence of sounds, but an invitation to listen, to explore the paths of the mind and the heart, in an intimate dialogue with one’s own conscience. This aligns with the idea that art, like contemporary philosophy, often questions the nature of being and reality, urging us to move beyond our own certainties and to confront a structural and perhaps irremediable paradox. In this context, Garau’s work offers a distillation of the heart’s mnemonic rule, for a soul enamoured of peace.
The celebration of these melodies and their universal messages – ranging from traditional tunes to original compositions, from Portoscuso to South America – highlights how culture, music and poetry are powerful tools for building bridges between people and for strengthening that “connection with reality” which is fundamental to human existence. Music, like painting, becomes an active metaphor, not only in its visual or architectural identity, but in its ability to evoke inner worlds and forge deep connections. This is not merely an aesthetic phenomenon, but a fundamentally anthropological one, capable of striking a chord with every individual on both a personal and an ethnic-anthropological level, transcending cultural differences.
