Our appointment to see the Chiesa dell’Ospedaletto fell through which gave us on the Historic Organ Study Tour an opportunity to do something else beside see organs. Several of us walked about a block to the Accademia, where one of the most famous art collections is housed right on the Grand Canal.
I think my favorite was the Croce di San Teodoro made in the 15th century. The incredible detail kept us looking to discover ever more miniature figures in its body. Sorry my photo doesn’t really do it justice.
We then met back at the hotel to walk together to the vaporetto, which is the water bus system, an amazingly efficient people mover in a water-based society. We got off at the Rialto stop where we walked a short distance to the Chiesa di San Salvador where there is a new instrument by Hendrik and Jürgen (2009), inspired by Venetian Renaissance style with split keys for G#/Ab and D#/Eb.
I hate to name favorites so early in the game, but I really enjoyed playing this instrument. It was tuned in meantone and the stops were really colorful, with a clear and transparent texture. The pitch, however, drove me crazy with A=493, which is more than a whole step high. Here are two little video segments to whet your appetite.
Five of us ate lunch at a restaurant right on the canal, including Jim Litton, Annie Spink, Charlotte Woods, JoAnn Condry and myself. As you may recall from last year’s tour, (check out the post here), it had been 43 years since I saw Jim Litton, my former professor in Classical French Organ Literature at Westminster Choir College. (All I know about Classical French Organ literature I learned from Dr. Litton!) We were talking about former students doing well, and he mentioned Christopher (Kit) Jacobson, the Duke University Organist with whom my former student, Joey Fala, will be working! When I told him about Joey’s story, he said he was at the New York City AGO opening meeting where Joey played as a winner of the NYC organ competition! Small world!
The last stop of the day was at the Chiesa di San Cassiano, a beautiful church with a 1734 Pietro Nacchini organ.
You can see Minnesota Public Radio host Michael Barone in the slideshow below.
By then end of the organ tours, I would be tired of seeing organs, and would spend a day doing something else. Glad you are having a good time. I hope to make the next tour. Please let me know when and where it will be.
Next year’s tour has not been announced yet. I will let you know when I find out.