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« The Italian school » concluded by a recital by Giorgio Parolini

The organ festival on the theme « The Italian school », promoted by the community of San Quirino, was brilliantly concluded on Friday with a recital by Giorgio Parolini. Before the concert of the young and very musical organist, Titular Organist of the Milanese Prepositura of Sant’ Eufemia, the parish priest and artistic director of the initiative, don Claudio Como, recollected Miss Marina Paolini,who passed away three years ago. With generous sensitivity she donated the organ to the new church of the community. Upon this occasion, the plaque on the side of the instrument dedicated to the benefactress was presented. Nadia De Grasso, who assisted her until the final hours, was present.
In the first part of the evening, took place in the old church, which is equipped with a mechanical organ by Zanin with warm and mellow tones. Giorgio Parolini brilliantly interpreted a series of pieces ranging from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. The concert performer opened with the enthralling Toccata Sesta sopra i pedali and Canzona Quarta by Girolamo Frescobaldi, then going over to perform the Toccata con lo Scherzo del cucco by Bernardo Pasquini, a page of luxuriant fantasy in his graceful Arcadian sounds, an Elevazione of Padre Narciso da Milano, an incisive Sonata sui flauti and a Grave in F minor with a noble and solemn expression by Padre Giovanni Battista Martini, and an Offertorio by Cosimo Casini.
In the second part, the organist highlighted the beauty of Marina Paolini’s gift, the instrument with mechanical action and twenty-three stops, made in 1989 by Gustavo and Francesco Zanin and recently tonally finished, accompanied by a precious altarpiece of Martino Fischer depicting the Virgin and Saints. First of all, he experimented with Johann Sebastian Bach, present in all the evenings of the cycle for his universal value and at the same time for the « Italianness » of many of his masterpieces, performing with clear elegance the Fugue in b-mminor BWV 579 on the theme of Corelli and the Concerto in a-minor (by Vivaldi) BWV 593.
Thereafter, an Ave Maria by Marco Enrico Bossi, well rendered in its climate of high spirituality, and three Gregorian Paraphrases, Salve Regina, Veni Creator and Asperges me, written in a contemporary language and rich in effects by the young composer Eugenio Maria Fagiani from Bergamo, were highly appreciated.
Warm ovations were paid to the fine organist, who gave an encore with the triumphal Entrée pontificale by Bossi.

Renato della Torre (“Messaggero veneto”, 03/05/1999)