A good concert by Giorgio Parolini

The already well known cycle “Organo in Concerto” at the Alfred Kraus Auditorium, on Sunday included, with the cooperation of Sociedad Filarmonica de las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a recital by Giorgio Parolini, excellent Italian organist that brought one of the largest public attendance. He started with the most famous among the Preludes by Buxtehude, sumptuous fantasy developing variations on the theme at the pedal and that shows the best of the counterpoint. After, one of the most masterly “Leipzig Chorales” (BWV 654) by Bach, with a character both serious and melancholic. Always by Bach the “Concerto in A minor” (BWV 593) which is a literal transcription of one of the most famous Concerts for Strings by Vivaldi. Parolini has given a brilliant and vital version of the two Allegri, with a very good reading of the original and mysterious central Adagio. A nice and clever “Fugue” for four voices by Schumann, written on the four notes of the name BACH, changed the character of the program without avoiding the devices of inversion and retrogradation of the gender. But it is another sound with power and magnificence which brings to the triumph of the theme before ending with a very sober and quiet Coda. A “Sonata” by Bellini, obviously with opera character in its two themes, exclaiming the first and melodic the second, has given a frivolous accent at the last part of the program, with two pieces by Bossi (a soft “Ave Maria” and a baroque and very elaborated “Redemption”) and an interesting “Partita” by Rogg on the Choral “Nun freut euch”: the organ of the XX century explored in seven variations from delicate dissonance to open atonality, with studies on the rhythm and change of stops rich of effect. This satisfying cycle will continue with the young Hispanic master Juan de la Rubia.
G. Garcia-Alcade.

From: La Provincia/Diario de las Palmas, April 13, 2010