Suite Comasca (2001)

Germán Torre (b. 1957) — Suite Comasca (2001) for organ

1) Introduzione Corale — Preludio
2) Scherzo
3) Intermezzo
4) Aria
5) Toccata

The title of “Suite Comasca” (2001) refers to Lake Como, Italy, the composer’s home for many years. As with certain other works in Torre’s unique style, although the work is quite locally melodic, the suite is not cyclically unified by musical themes or motives. Rather, the music is unified by harmony: certain chords, motions, and structures are found in all five movements, most prominently a parallelism formed from major seventh chords in both closed and open position. “Introduzione Corale — Preludio” begins with chorale-like music that is followed by a pastoral prelude marked “tranquil and nostalgic.” “Scherzo” is typically lighthearted and jovial. The brief “Intermezzo” is expressive and meditative. “Aria” is written in the manner of a baroque arioso but cast in the harmonic vocabulary of the suite. The concluding “Toccata” finally presents the most distilled form of the suite’s harmonic essence in a series of joyous arpeggiated figures.

Germán Torre (b. 1957) is an Argentinian composer, keyboardist, and conductor. Educated in Buenos Aires and La Plata, Torre studied organ with Héctor Zeoli (who encouraged his first compositions) and composition with Juan Francisco Giacobbe (a student of Ravel and significant figure in the development of an Argentinian national style). Torre was organist of the cathedral in La Plata from 1976–86. He has appeared as organist, harpsichordist, pianist in concerts throughout the world and has composed works in many genres including several acclaimed ballet scores. Torre was a founder of the Ensemble da Camera Arcangelo Corelli, a group specializing in baroque music. He also directed the Schola Cantorum of La Plata Catholic University Law School. While maintaining many musical activities in Argentina, he has resided for years in Gera Lario on Lake Como, Italy.