Filipe Gorriti, Spanish RomanticFelipe Gorriti y Osambela (1839-1896) brought Spain into the modern world of Romantic organ composition in 1882: he composed the first piece written in Spain of fully Romantic character and with the pedal noted separately. For it, he received the First Prize in the monthly competitions organized by Parisian organists and conductors. The work is Funeral March in c minor (on CD-2, below). Gorriti was at the forefront of the late transition in Spain between Baroque/Classical and Romantic styles. Having studied organ with his father in his hometown of Huarte-Aaraquil (Navarra) and then the Madrid Conservatory, Gorriti took his first position as organist in 1859 in Tafalla, playing on the brand new organ of two manuals and 13 pedal keys which had been ordered the year before and installed by 1862. In his eight years there, Gorriti composed in the prevailing Baroque style, the works accounting for two-thirds of all of his compositions. From 1867 until his death, he was organist at St. Mary’s Church in Tolosa (Guipúzcoa, Basque country) and played and composed for the Romantic organ supplied in 1885 and heard on Volume 2 of these CDs. Organist Esteban Elizondo Iriarte supplies a fine essay on Gorriti and his music and life in the CD booklet, and he plays the works. |
| ||
| Esteban Elizondo Iriarte plays the anonymously-built organ in late Spanish Baroque style at Santa-Domingo Church in Pamplona, reconstructed in 1991 by José Maria Arrizabalaga. Works: Sonatas in D and F Salmodia órganica for organ in free style for the first organ lessons (32 verses composed in 8 church modes with indicated registrations for baroque organ) Three Elevations and Prayers in B-flat, G minor/major and F minor/major | |
| ||
| ||
| Esteban Elizondo Iriarte plays the 1885 Stoltz-Frères (Paris) 3-43 at Santa Maria de Tolosa, where Gorriti was organist when he composed these works. Works: Five Versos La Esperanza Marcha fúnebre in f Cuarteto Plegaria Marcha fúnebre in c soprano Arantza Ezenarro sings settings of Sub tuum proesidium and O Salutaris | |
|