The Festival Internacional de Música Antigua de Tenerife (Fimante) is bringing, through the Nova Ars Organorum series, organist Juan de la Rubia to Auditorio de Tenerife on Sunday, 22 July to play the 21st century organ -unique in the world- at the Sala Sinfónica. The concert,  El órgano sinfónico 2.0, is starting at 12:30 pm and includes different music styles that show the versatility of an instrument whose 3,835 pipes are set on the walls of this emblematic hall.

Rosario Álvarez, head of the Nova Ars Organorum series, explained that this organ “is unique in the world thanks to its registers and technical means.” This musicologist was advisor in the process of construction of this colossal organ, which took 22,000 hours of work by expert Albert Blancafort and his team. She pointed out that “we are proud to have an instrument of this category, which has a superb sonorous capacity”. “The audience will be surrounded by the sound”, she revealed as she mentioned that “in the Canary Islands we are very lucky to have organs from the 17th through to the 21st century.  

On his part, Juan de la Rubia, who was one of the musicians to accompany the first organ concert at the Auditorio in 2005, stated that, “organs are huge, complex machines and the one at Auditorio de Tenerife is even more so because of its size”. The organist of the Basílica de la Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona, said that “because it’s a 21st century instrument, it has many present-day accessories, which allow playing from the oldest repertoire to the most experimental contemporary piece.”

The concert opens with the transcription for organ of the famous Chaconne for violin by Johann Sebastian Bach, performing a version made greater by the instrument; and Felix Mendelssohn’s Sonata Nº 4 which portrays the admiration this composer felt for Bach and his style. Guilmant’s piece shows a new period for organ music, where the instrument evolved to become what it is today; finally, Charles Tournemire will make the audience feel how great this music is. An improvisation by Juan de la Rubia closes the programme, displaying the colourful palette of registers and pitches the king of instruments has.

The last time the organ at the Auditorio de Tenerife was played was in May 2015, at the closing concert of the Organ International Week. On that occasion, Jean Guillou, along with other musicians, performed works composed for the organ and pieces by Bach and Liszt. The French organist stated that the Sala Sinfónica de Tenerife was “the most beautiful concert hall that I have ever seen, the most original in concept, everything is new, different from what I know.” “The sonority of this organ has a presence of its own”, he reflected.

Tickets for this concert can be purchase at the box office in Auditorio de Tenerife from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm, Monday to Saturday; on the internet www.auditoriodetenerife.com or calling 902 317 327.

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