J. S. Bach como telón de fondo et altera

The Auditorio de Tenerife offers organ concerts in collaboration with the San Miguel Arcángel Royal Academy of Fine Arts of the Canary Islands. On this occasion, the Auditorium offers a matinée by the musician ArturoBarba, who will play the colossal instrument housed in the walls of Symphony Hall.

J. S. Bach como telón de fondo et altera                                 

Johann Sebastian Bach is an essential composer whose spirit is linked to organ music and whose works are normally part of the programme. In this case, the concert includes works based on the four letters of his name, which are equivalent to the sounds B-A-C-H (the German pitches B-flat, A-natural, C-natural, B-natural written as H). This motive is beloved by some composers to remember the master of masters and to show off their creative skills by sticking to this theme alone. Here we have three key examples from three different centuries, and three different authors: J.Ch. Bach, Liszt and Ginastera. This evidences this active interest over time, just as a type of composition based on themes by other authors is active too. Such is the case of Sir George Thalben-Ball, an Australian composer of the past century. He chose a famous theme by Paganini and created a spectacular solo work for organ pedals: on the cutting edge! The fourth movement of Dvorák's ‘New World Symphony’ transcribed by Szathmáry for organ, full of beauty and colourfulness, brings this attractive and instructive programme to a close.

Rosario Álvarez, musicologist