The next few pix are background for those that follow. On 24 March 2017, we went with the Salatini to visit the Mascioni organ workshop, north of Varese near the Swiss border. (That is a separate post dated 24 March.)
We saw this new organ console being constructed.
According to detailed work plans
And we saw this free standing wooden organ case being finished for that console
Into which they were installing the large wooden pedal pipes.
In the pipe shop the master pipe maker was finely adjusting the metal pipes, pipe by pipe. We watched and listened to him.
He had to carefully shave off a little from the ends of some pipes, made of a mix of tin and lead, to bring the pipe into perfect pitch, according to the "standard" rank at the back of the tuning chest.
Then the organ was fully assembled in the workshop and played, to make sure everything worked as it should. It's construction began during August 2016 and finished in April 2017, an 8 month project, although they were building other organs at the same time. Then, during April, it was taken to its final home in Switzerland, where it took several weeks to install and finally adjust it for the acoustics of the church, for which it had been custom built. This was all paid for by one member of the congregation. It cost him about €150,000 euros, or about $168,000 US dollars.
Yesterday (22 May), Sunday, after church, we drove, 1.5 hours, with the Salatini, to a little town near Belinzona, Switzerland (where we saw the three castles a few months ago) to this little parish church, where, as I read on the organ builder's website, they were having the first recital on the newly installed organ.
The relatively small church was full-to-the-brim when we got there 15 minutes early and we were lucky to find a seat at the back, beneath the organ (the sound of the pipes was projected into the church, and we were under the organ, so we essentially heard the bounce back sound--but still beautiful.) We actually got there an hour early, but the others wanted to walk around the lake, which we did. It reminded me of lakes in the Grand Tetons.
The easily moveable console (same as pix above, being built) was located in the middle of the church, quite a way from the pipes. It is a small (only 10 rank) electric action pipe organ, but with lots of sophisticated pistons (under the keys) to make it easy to change stops and easier to play. It also has an expression pedal for the swell manual, so the sound can be made much quieter.
In this pix, of the back of the church, you can see the pipe work, essentially the organ, with Myrna still sitting where we ended up sitting. This is a small, but very beautifully sounding, pipe organ, about the size of organs that our church has bought for some stake centers, e.g., Kevin's in San Antonio, that I have played. However, it sounds much better than any I have ever played or heard in the US. Of course, the acoustics of this church are better than LDS churches, with their carpets and padded benches, etc., that soak up sound. This organ would work really well for an LDS stake center, it could play wonderful soft preludes, and be fun to accompany the congregation with more full sounding stops, and is no more complicated to play than the new Allen or Rodgers organs they are installing.
The organist they brought in for the concert plays professionally in the Vatican in Rome and has made commercial CDs, (Sort of like inviting a Tabernacle Organist to play a dedication recital on your organ, which they actually did when the pipe organ in our stake center in Eugene, Oregon, was built, when we lived there in the 1980's.) He played a very diverse program to show off everything the organ could do, and it was amazing. His program was 1.5 hours long, but he played several encores, which were greatly appreciated. Even the parish priest, who thanked him at the end, said his hands were sore from clapping.
After the concert, everyone was invited across the street to the place where the boy scouts, sponsored by the parish church, meet.
The sign on the fairly new building says its the Scout Section for Tenero (name of the village) and Gordola, another little village. To the right, on the side of the building, it says it is an opera (work) of San Giovanni Bosco, who was an Italian Saint from the 1800s, known for befriending youth. Within the basketball area, they had already set out a wonderful offering of "light refreshments," the priest called them.
There were lots of tasty finger foods, and, of course, in Switzerland, local cheeses.
And local wines, and, also, for those who don't drink, both natural and frizzante (sparkling) mineral water, as well as fresh orange juice
Myrna held onto my music, which I had printed out and brought so I could follow along as the organist played the pieces (I knew from the website what he was gong to play), while I spoke with the organ builder and the organist. I did not personally thank the man, about my age, who donated the organ, but he was there. I don't know who paid for the reception, maybe the organ builder, but from his profit from selling the organ. He is a very nice man, as we have come to know.
On the way back home, out the passenger side window, I snapped this pix, which shows the lake in the background, and also a palm tree. They have palm trees in Switzerland, even though it snows there.
This next snap shows a sailboat on the lake, and more palm trees.
In the valley they are growing veggies, some under the protective cover of plastic.
We crossed a river, coming from the mountains, feeding the lake.
We followed a Swiss family, out for a Sunday afternoon drive, probably to ride their bikes.
The fields were all planted and we saw a pathway going up the steep hillside (we debated whether it was a waterway or pathway, but we could see the steps).
This was taken out the window, as Anziano Salitano was driving, near where we got back on the freeway. We saw, in the sky, a glider, like they have at the Point of the Mountain near Lehi, Utah. To the right are the lines for the electric train. I wonder what would happen if he landed in the electric lines, a fried Swiss?.
I took several videos, with sound, during the organ concert, showing the church, organist, etc. I wish I knew how to attach videos to this blog. They turned out well, and the organ sounds great, even on a small camera at the back of the church. Maybe someday I'll figure out how to attach videos.
I also saw, on the website, that they are dedicating another new Mascioni pipe organ next Sunday afternoon, but it is near Cortina, near where Kevin and Tess went to the mountains. I would like to go, but it is too far.
On Wed, 24 May, Myrna and I drove to the organ workshop to visit Andrea Mascioni, the owner. We met with him for about 1.5 hours, but did not take any pix. I showed him my Hauptwerk setup, and let him play some of the ranks on various organs, including the Antegnati. (He went to get his uncle, who had already gone home--I would have appreciated seeing his reaction, as he seems to be a master pipe voicer.) Andrea was very impressed, having never seen or heard Hauptwerk before. His wife is a professional organist, in Venice, and he said she practices on an electronic organ (made in Italy, for which they used a Mascioni organ for samples, which he said aren't as good as Piotrs via Hauptwerk), and they only have a piano in their home, which is interesting. They have a small 2 manual organ in the entryway to the workshop, which I would love to have in my home, it would even fit, so I suppose it would also fit in their home, which we did not see (maybe they have a small one they inherited because the organ workshop has been in the family since the early 1800's). Anyway, he said he would like for me to be his representative in the US when I get home and I could communicate with his marketing person in Paris, who he tried to call so I could speak with him, but he didn't answer. This person used to make organs, and is now in marketing. He also asked me to see if Piotr in Poland would come to Italy this summer to make a Hauptwork recording of one of Mascioni organs, which he could choose from the website. (I came back and emailed Piotr, and he answered and we are working on it, hopefully for July.) It was an enjoyable visit and I hope something comes of it. If not, it was fun. On our way home we stopped at a little out of the way (non touristy) restaurant where we had eaten before with the Salatini. We had their €25 fixed price specials. I had seafood and Myrna had meat (carne), which were both more than we needed to eat, their pizza was fine the last time we were there.
This was my seafood appetizer, shrimp in the middle, it was very good, and the rest was okay. I actually like seafood.
This was Myrna's appetizer, mostly salami, which was okay. She liked the middle, bread tomatoes and oil.
This was my first course, pasta, with seafood, which was pretty good.
This is what was left on my plate after I ate the first course. I was already pretty full, because their table bread was good.
This was Myrna's pasta, which was a cooked, as opposed to crudo, proscuito in a cream sauce, which she really liked. She wants me to get the recipe, which I will try to do.
This was my second course, breaded and fried (home made, not frozen) sea food with french fries (definitely frozen), which were fair, but nothing to write home about. I was a little overdosed on seafood and way overstuffed.
This was Myrna's second course, scaloppini, thin cuts of veal in a wine sauce, which she didn't like too much. I ate what she didn't want (adding to my overstuffing). It was a little tough, for veal, and I also didn't care much for the wine flavor in the sauce, and the fries were the same kind as mine.
Basically, the meal, for €54 (water cost extra), was too much fat and calories for us. But we had a pleasant experience eating outside on the patio, watching the cars and people, with the sun on our backs.
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