The concert that ‘Ferrara Organistica 2024’ – an annual organ review, organized by the Conservatory of Ferrara in collaboration with parishes and municipalities in the province – intends to offer its audience on Friday 10 May at 6.45 pm at the church of S. Stefano in Ferrara, is a concert for vocal Ensemble and Organ, in which Gabriele Martin will propose modern music written for an ancient organ in dialogue with ‘EVEn’, Estense Vocal Ensemble. The title of the concert is in fact “Inter nova et vetera” with music by G. Frescobaldi, GP da Palestrina, C. Monteverdi, W. Byrd, O. Respighi, A. Bruckner, F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, A. Heiller, R. Brisotto, O. Gjeilo, A. Part. R. Squillaci and B. Bettinelli.
The eternal dialectic between old and new permeates the concert scheduled for next Friday. The inspiring premise was the presence in Ferrara of a newly founded choral ensemble of great technical and musical standing, the Estense Vocal Ensemble, and of a historic organ, attributed to Colonna, kept in the church of S. Stefano, recently restored with scientific accuracy. In compliance with the definition that the linguist Devoto offers for the term “tradition” – “action name, remained faithful to the terms of delivery” -, we will be accompanied in a long chronological musical excursus, from the Renaissance to the Contemporary, where the ” Dux” will be the choir and “Comes” will be the organ. In practice, for each period illustrated by the voices, the King of instruments will counterpoint with contemporary pieces suited to Colonna’s phonic and constructive characteristics, giving life to a refined concert with clear research intentions: new music for an ancient instrument.
The Estense Vocal Ensemble was born in 2022 between the provinces of Bologna and Ferrara thanks to the passion and determination of singers, musicians and directors belonging to various choral ensembles in the area, with the objective of enhancing and promoting a cappella polyphonic singing. The current team of the Ensemble engages with authors from various eras, from ancient to contemporary music with a view to continuous growth for both the singers and the directors who alternate in conducting the pieces.
It is composed of Irene Sitta, Teresa Parigi, Naoko Tanigaki, Grazia Fossati, Maristella Ragnedda sopranos; Maria Elena Resca, Jone Babelyte, Marta Bovina, Ester Ferraro, Ilaria Scarponi, Rossana Borzacchelli contraltos; Riccardo Tuccio, Michele Semenza, Mattia Mazzini, Aleksandar Bagli Milev, Marco Ciatto, Jiangchen He tenors; Domenico Urbinati, Valerio Cacciari, Riccardo Bovina, Andrea Leonardo Pinna, Riccardo Barbarisi bass.
The conductors who alternate in conducting the pieces are: Andrea Leonardo Pinna, Maristella Ragnedda, Aleksandar Bagli Milev, Mattia Mazzini and Riccardo Barbarisi.
All ‘Ferrara Organistica’ concerts are free to enter. The complete program can be consulted on the consfe.it website.
