Culture

Music returns to Torreciudad with its International Organ Series

This International Organ Cycle of Torreciudad, which this year celebrates its twenty-sixth edition, is a major reference among the musical events that are scheduled in Aragon during the summer period along with the festival Classics on the Border.

Maria José Atienza-July 22, 2021-Reading time: 2 minutes
Organ

Photo: Jan-Willem van Braak /Unsplash

The series will take place from August 6 to 27 and "will maintain and even reinforce one of its most characteristic features: the conjunction of melodic instruments with the organ," according to its director and titular organist of the sanctuary, Maite Aranzabal. For years it has had the support of the Caja Rural de Aragón Foundation and of the Secastilla Town Halland, on this occasion, also collaborates with Alumbra Energy. The concert series will be held in accordance with safety measures regarding social distance and seating capacity.

The repertoire chosen for this edition ranges from the sixteenth century to the present day, although the music of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is the protagonist of most of the pieces. The main role always corresponds to the organ, combined on this occasion with flute, clarinet, percussion and various historical instruments such as the sackbut, the cornetto or the natural trumpet.

Program of actions

- The concerts will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Fridays in August: August 6, 13, 20 and 27.

- Admission to the performances is free as long as the capacity established for the temple by health regulations (595 people) allows it.

- August 6: the series is inaugurated by the Navarrese organist Raúl del Toro, with a varied program that includes composers such as Fischer, Ledesma, P. Donostia, Mozart, Stanford and Bridge, the latter from the English Romantic school.

- August 13: the quintet "Cum Altam", composed of Juan Ramón Ullibarri (baroque clarinet and cornetto), Basilio Gomarín (natural trumpet), David Alejandre (sackbut), Marc Vall (timpani and percussion) and Norbert Itrich (organ), will offer a very striking concert with the performance of the musicians visually close to the public, since they will be located in the main nave of the church.

- August 20: the third performance will be given by organist Miriam Cepeda and clarinetist Luis Alberto Requejo, who will offer some of the most emblematic works composed for this instrument duo.

- August 27: the titular organist of the sanctuary and native of San Sebastian, Maite Aranzabal, will form a duo with the flutist Sofía Martínez Villar from Valladolid to develop a varied repertoire with a predominance of works from the 19th and 20th centuries. Among the composers chosen, the figure of the Catalan Eduard Toldrá stands out, one of whose pieces will close the concert.

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