Orgues de Sicile
Arnaud De Pasquale (organ)
Perrine Devillers (soprano), Sarah Dubus, Camille Frachet (cornett), Jérôme Van Waerbeke (violin), François Guerrier (organ)
rec. 2019/2020, Chiesa di S. Francesco, Castelbuono; Chiesa di S. Pantaleone, Alcara Li Fusi; Chiesa Maria SS. Assunta - Santuario dell'Annunziata, Ficarra; Chiesa della Spirito Santo, Noto; Chiesa Madre S. Basilio, Regalbuto, Sicily, Italy
Organs of the World – Volume 1
HARMONIA MUNDI HMM905331 [80:17]
A long time ago, in the vinyl era, Harmonia Mundi released a series of recordings on historical organs, played by some of the leading organists of France, such as Francis Chapelet and René Saorgin. Later they were reissued on CD, and as such they may still be available. Recently the label made a new start with a comparable project. The first disc is the one under review here, and in the liner-notes Arnaud De Pasquale already announces that the second disc will be devoted to organs in southern Mexico. That is certainly something to look forward to, as instruments of that region may be completely unknown to even the most knowledgeable organ aficionados. The present disc is probably not that different: how often do we get the chance to hear organs of Sicily?
There is no lack of instruments: De Pasquale mentions that there are probably about 1,500, but not more than ten percent is in playable condition. In his booklet notes he takes the reader with him on his journey and let him share in his experiences. It was often difficult to make a recording. Instruments were not tuned - or not tuned appropriately - and there were also quite some logistical problems. Part of the recordings took place during the time of the pandemic, with all the limitations resulting from it. The results as we find them on this disc were well worth the efforts.
De Pasquale selected six organs in five different churches. The oldest dates from 1547 - and exactly that was the one which was almost completely unchanged since it was built - and the latest is from the end of the 18th century. However, stylistically they are not that different: organ building in Italy was fairly conservative and organs were still tuned in meantone temperament, when that was not used anymore in other repertoire. De Pasquale greatly enjoys such temperaments: "The flavour of meantone temperament gives the organ a fullness, balance, depth and clarity that equal temperament cannot replace. This is why, unlike other instruments, organs continued to be tuned this way until quite late, in spite of the evolution of musical styles." Many organs are rather small, and that has its own attraction: "Their more direct action is an ideal tool to make the music 'speak' with great precision, and their requirements are close to those of the harpsichord."
In Regalbuto, De Pasquale found two instruments, a large one and a much smaller one. This was quite common in the 16th and 17th centuries, as they allowed for the performance of sacred works for two choirs. It has also encouraged composers to write music for two organs. There is a substantial repertoire of such music by Italian composers.
The music selected to demonstrate the features of the instruments is mostly from the pen of composers from Naples and nearby regions. As Dinko Fabris writes in his notes on the music, there is hardly any music by Sicilian composers that could be used for this recording. "[The] geographical proximity and the many political, commercial and cultural ties between the Kingdom of Naples and Sicilian cities suggest that the keyboard repertoire normally performed in Sicilian churches and palaces was the same as that composed and published or circulated in Naples (...)". Even the aesthetic features of Sicilian instruments are not fundamentally different from those generally known as 'Neapolitan'. This explains why music by Neapolitan composers dominates the programme that Arnaud De Pasquale recorded for this disc. Some of them are rather well-known, such as Antonio Valente and Giovanni de Macque. However, there are also pieces by composers hardly known today. One of them is Gregorio Strozzi, whose Toccata de Passacagli closes this disc.
One of the notable features of the programme is the inclusion of pieces for ensemble and even secular items. "While dances were generally played on the harpsichord and sacred music on the organ, it was not uncommon to find organs outside churches and to play religious works at home on the spinet or the harpsichord. Thus, the secular repertoire is not out of place on the organ; this is why I chose to perform lighter pieces (dances or songs with variations) as well as more serious and contemplative works (...)", De Pasquale writes. He is basically correct in that there was no watershed between the sacred and the secular. However, the organs played here are all in churches, and they were almost certainly not used for secular music. From that angle the inclusion of such music is historically debatable.
Setting this issue apart, this disc is a most intriguing and musically rewarding overture to what should become a highly interesting series of recordings. Most organ lovers will never have the opportunity to listen to these instruments on the spot, or even to have a look at them. This disc brings them into their homes, and De Pasquale is the ideal guide through the Sicilian organ landscape. His performances are outstanding and his colleagues also deliver excellent contributions in the ensemble pieces. The booklet offers much information about the instruments, with pictures.
Let us hope a disc like this will also convince local authorities that these organs are a valuable part of their heritage which should be preserved and kept in playing condition. This disc shows that it is all worth the effort and money.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
Contents
[Castelbuono, Chiesa di San Francesco - organ anon, 1547]
Marco Antonio CAVAZZONI (c1490-c1560)
Recercada [2:48]
Pietro VINCI (c1525/35-c1583)
Il gambaro con denaretto [1:08]
Marco Antonio CAVAZZONI
Madame vous aves mon cuor [3:29]
Antonio VALENTE (fl 1566-1580)
Ballo lombardo [0:40]
anon
Pavan dan Vers [1:13]
Giovanni DE MACQUE (1548/50-1614)
Seconde stravaganze [2:30]
Antonio VALENTE
Fantasia in modo I [4:58]
Antonio IL VERSO (c1560-1621)
Contrapunto Babilonia [1:18]
[Alcara Li Fusi, Chiesa di San Pantaleone; organ Giuseppe Speradeo, 1666]
Rocco RODIO (c1535-after 1615)
Ricercada quinta [3:01]
Antonio VALENTE
Bascia flammigna [0:55]
Pietro VINCI
Vinci [1:33]
Sebastián RAVAL (c1550-1604)
Ricercar del secondo tono, trasportato in quattro fughe d'accordo [4:31]
Bernardo STORACE (fl mid-17th C)
Follia [4:01]
[Noto, Chiesa dello Spirito Santo; organ Paolo Grimaldi, 1726]
Sigismondo D'INDIA (c1582-c1629)
O gioia de' mortali [2:18]
Bartolomeo DE MONTALBANO (c1598-1651)
Sinfonia seconda 'Zambiti' [3:09]
[Ficcara, Chiesa di Maria SS Assunta - Santuario dell'Annunziata; organ Annibale Lo Bianco, 1714]
Ercole PASQUINI (mid 16th C-c1608/19)
Toccata IV [2:48]
Giovanni DE MACQUE
Prima Gagliarda [1:05]
Giovanni Maria TRABACI (c1580-1647)
Canzona franzesa seconda [3:18]
Ercole PASQUINI
BDHP [1:26]
[Regalbuto, Chiesa Madre San Basilio; large organ Donato Del Piano, 1775-82; little organ, Donato Del Piano (attr)]
Ercole PASQUINI
Toccata III [3:46]
Luca MARENZIO (c1553-1599)
Basti fin qui le pen'e i duri affanni [3:28]
Giovanni Pierluigi DA PALESTRINA (c1525-1594)
Tota pulchra es (diminutions: Sarah Dubus) [4:48]
Vincenzo GALLO (c1560-1624)
Dixit Dominus [3:28]
Girolamo FRESCOBALDI (1583-1643)
Canzon quarta a due canti [3:43]
Gregorio STROZZI (c1615-after 1687)
Corrente [2:48]
Sigismondo D'INDIA
Forse avverrà [3:17]
Sebastián RAVAL
Da pacem Domine [2:51]
Gregorio STROZZI
Toccata de Passacagli [5:41]
