Special Sunday.

There was the possibility to listen to some music this afternoon in Brugherio. I think it’s really interesting when they offer free music, even though I’m not sure who “they” are. It was an organ recital held in San Bartholomew’s a church standing on a site used for worship since the 13th century but much modified since then. Once with a Greek cross plan, the new buiding was commenced in 1854, but it was elongated and given a new facade in 1939. Above the entrance is the great organ built in 1859 by Livio Tornaghi and boasting over 1700 pipes. Its most recent restoration was finished in 2013 and it was on this wonderful instrument that Irene De Ruvo played today.

The concert started with J.S.Bach’s pastorella, the second movement of this has an andante with an imitation of flutes by the organ. Then a Ciaccona by Pachebel, a delightful sonata by Giovanni Battista Pescetti ending up with Claude Balbastre’s Suite. As the organ is at the back of the church on high, someone had had the idea of sending it to a big screen at the front of the church which was very interesting as we saw the musician’s hands, feet and the music itself. The programmes are always quite short which is just as well as these huge churches are so cold. People came pottering in to admire the Christmas crib which I imagine will be dismantled tomorrow as it’s Epiphany.