Damascus-SANA
The National Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Misak Baghboudrian, is keen to present periodic musical evenings starring one of the treasures of Dar Al-Assad for Culture and Arts represented by the pipe organ, which is one of the main musical instruments in international operas.
Today's evening, which was hosted by the Opera Theater, was attended by a friend of the symphony and a lover of Damascus, the Italian organist Eugenio Maria Fagani. His participation came after a series of musical evenings during the past years, whether with the Syrian Symphony or through the supervision of the Holy Land Organ Festival, which is held in seven countries in the region, including Syria.
The beginning of the evening was through a piece of the most famous solo piece composed by the giant of baroque music Johann Bach for the organ, Prelude and Vogue Rey Major, Class No. 532, which requires an exceptional player because of its variations, rapid rhythm and repetitive rhythms, which Fagani performed with perfection.
Then the Italian player participated with the Syrian symphony in presenting the great Austrian composer Joseph Haydn “Concerto for Organ and Orchestra Ladder de Major, Class No. 18”, who evoked the melodies of this delicate and warm piece with a high harmonic between the organ and the symphony band, especially with the strings.
In the second part of the evening, the Syrian symphony shifted to a contemporary musical language dating back to 1936 with a piece by the composer Francis Polanc, “Concerto for Organs, Strings and Tympani on Soul Minor”, a beautiful composition consisting of several movements connected to each other to give the audience the impression that it is one work.
The piece was distinguished by its strength, difficulty, and graceful transition between movements from slow to lively and cheerful, and from moderate speed to rebellious movement full of enthusiasm, until the musical melodies return at the end to calm and lively.
The orchestra concluded with the evening organ playing a piece composed by the Italian Otorino Respigi entitled “The Witch” from the holidays and festivals of Rome, which consists of several paintings through which the Italian author tried to convey the atmosphere of the celebrations in his country’s capital.
It is noteworthy that the composer Eugenio Maria Fagani is known worldwide for his exciting, attractive and lively musical style, and he holds his evenings periodically by playing the most important organ instruments in Europe, Russia, Asia and America, in addition to his activity as a soloist. Member of the jury for several international organ competitions.
Rasha Mahfoud
