Piotr Grabowski was kind enough to ask me to record some Frescobaldi for the showreel of his new sampleset of the Mascioni organ at Azzio chapel church, Italy.
I picked the first and last piece of Fiori Musicali, a collection of liturgical organ music by Girolamo Frescobaldi, first published in 1635. It contains three organ masses and two secular capriccios. Fiori musicali influenced composers during at least two centuries. Johann Sebastian Bach was among its admirers, and parts of it were included in the celebrated Gradus ad parnassum, a highly influential 1725 treatise by Johann Joseph Fux which was in use even in the 19th century.
Toccata Avanti la Messa Della Domenica
Capriccio sopra la Girolmeta - Alegro
Jon Liinason on the Mascioni organ at Azzio parish church, Italy
Stops used for Toccata: Principale + Tremolo
Stop used for Capriccio: Flauto Camino
Azzio’s Convent Church marks a significant piece of Valcuvia’s valley history (province of Varese). And to Mascioni, a greater one still: the company was born right here. Thanks to generous donations the church has been totally restored, and now a new organ can again complete its artistic and musical life, too. Of two manuals and pedals, it’s a seventeenth-century Italian ripieno in the truest sense within a case to match. Drawn up by Maestro Lorenzo Ghielmi, the specification puts 17th century Baroque music as a target, notably the works of Bach, a musically spiritual leader if there ever was. The very low wind pressure (47 mm in water column) together with a particular way of voicing gives to the sound a particularly richness in harmonics and we can say this instrument has resulted to be very inspiring and rich of soul.
The manuals' compass is from C to d3, pedal compass is from C to d1 - both with missed lowest C#.
Please consider supporting Piotr Grabowski who did such a wonderful job with sampling this organ.
http://www.piotrgrabowski.pl
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