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The Oratory of the Most Holy Crucifix in Rome – the splendid, continuous location of that they underwent modernizations that transformed them to suit the prevailing tastes
Wörle’s masterpiece from 1744 – has been described in detail, for example, by Paolo of the day. Although the Wörle organ in the Oratorio del Crocifisso did not completely
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Mancini and Giuseppe Scarfone: L’Oratorio del SS.mo Crocifisso (Rome: 2 rev. ed., no date; escape from this process, the basic substance of its construction has survived to an
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1 ed. from 1975). unusually high degree. This appeared to us to be reason enough to document in a
permanent, acoustic way the sound of an instrument that is actually representative of our
The website of the Institute for Tyrolean Music Research (www.musikland-tirol.at) organ builder from Vils, and thus to allow us to imagine it as far as is currently possible.
contains a richly illustrated report by Quintilio Palozzi: Roma. Oratorio del Crocifisso. On the one hand, Wörle’s sound ideal for this positive organ has been exactly preserved
Organo Johannes Conradus Verlè 1744. Relazione (2012/14). through the fact that the instrument has remained in the same location for more than
two and a half centuries. On the other hand, the “authentic” sound of a music instrument
is generally only achievable in a limited way, that is, with some reservations: there are too
About the Sound Portrait of the Wörle Organ many variable parameters involved concerning how a music instrument must have been
played at a certain moment in time.
For the wide-ranging audio presentation of Johann Konrad Wörle’s positive organ on the
present CD, we have chosen music examples that allow the instrument to be heard in its The repertoire that we have chosen could very well have sounded on one or more of
current state in a multifaceted and exemplary way. On the one hand, there is an emphasis Wörle’s organs. Special consideration was given to compiling works by composers from
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on its function as an accompanying instrument for the sacred liturgy (CD 1). And, on the the 18 century who were active in Rome. In addition, we have included anonymous
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other hand, the realm of secular music is featured as well (CD 2). Thus, the rich spectrum pieces from an Italian manuscript collection from the second half of the 18 century
of this organ’s sonorities comes to life here in a variety of combinations. that is preserved today in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Vittorio Emanuele II in Rome
(shelf mark Mss Musicali 76). It was gradually put together by several copyists who
For this CD recording, the organ was played as it exists now, with the exception that it probably added items according to their own personal use. Thus, this source once served
was newly tuned shortly beforehand (A = 420 Hertz at 22° C, meantone temperament) as a compendium or Vademecum for organists of that time. For us today, it reflects the
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by the organ builder and restorer Daniel Joseph Taccini (Rome). The instrument was last repertoire that an organist would have used for church services in the 18 century. The
extensively restored in 1980 by Alfredo Piccinelli, an organ builder in Padua, and it was collection also involves the domestic use of keyboard instruments: it contains a total of
overhauled once again in ca. 2000 by another restorer. 181 compositions, including such vocal pieces as Masses, hymns and antiphons. Among
the instrumental works are versettes, pastorales, characteristic pieces and such dance
In earlier times, music instruments were invariably objects to be used every day, and thus movements as the allemande, anglaise, gigue and numerous minuets. When it was in
they were also subject to changes in sound ideals and technical construction. This meant use, there must have been an occasional intermingling of both sacred and secular pieces.
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