April AGO Event: Small Organ Day
April 13, 2024, 1:00-6:00pm
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Cathedral Road
630 E. Cathedral Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19128
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 SCHEDULE
1:00 p.m. Raurich workshop ~ $25 fee for both workshops
2:30 p.m. Cooper workshop ~ $25 fee for both workshops
4:00 p.m. Concert with Raurich and Cooper ~ Free and open to the Public
Small Organ Day is an opportunity to discover the portative organ and fall in love with its charms and malleable sounds on a journey through emotions including peace, sensuality and fun. There are further lessons in appreciating the small church organ and its repertoire, and playing both to the fullest.
The portative organ is a small organ that the player plays with one hand on the bellows and the other on the keyboard. Although many people think of it as a keyboard instrument, the essence of its sound is that of a wind instrument. By operating the bellows, the air pressure can be controlled in infinitely expressive and dynamic ways. Cristina Alis Raurich gives the organetto a rhetorical value, imbuing a message full of content into music without words.
Cristina’s workshop is interactive, and participants will have a chance to both hear and play the organetto. Her portion of the concert is titled Organetto Fascination: The Three Souls of the Portative Organ including the mystical organetto, the courtly organetto, and “carte blanche” with surprises. Music of the 13th through 15th centuries will include Anonymous sources, Gherardello da Firenze, Landini, Machaut and plainchant.
Phil Cooper has devoted the majority of his time to the study of 17 th and 18 th century keyboard repertoire with the applications of antique keyboard playing practices. In addition, Phil Cooper has extensively researched the old organs of Pennsylvania and is considered the foremost expert on the organs of David Tannenberg and his followers. As such, he has often been called upon to serve as a consultant to both churches and historical societies for the restoration of these instruments. He has accomplished extensive research into early Pennsylvania-German keyboard music manuscripts; often performing this music in recitals.
Philip’s workshop will feature repertoire and sources, with registration and performance tips for the small organ in service and concert settings. He will present works by Bach, Cross, Krebs, Loud, Pachelbel,Stanley, Zeuner and Zipoli.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 SCHEDULE
1:00 p.m. Raurich workshop
2:30 p.m. Cooper workshop
4:00 p.m. Concert with Raurich and Cooper
There will be additional opportunities to view the portative instruments between workshops, and during a tea break before the concert.
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE TO PHILADELPHIA AGO MEMBERS
WORKSHOPS ARE $25/BOTH FOR NON-MEMBERS
THE CONCERT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Contact Cristina directly at contacte@cristinaraurich.cat to inquire about additional coaching on organetto or Medieval music.