DIALOGHI – Auzinger, Schobersberger

DIALOGHI – Auzinger, Schobersberger

Playing two organs alternatingly developed with the emergence of polychoral performance. The oldest proof of such a «duello» can be found in 16^th century Venice. Contemporary sources report on the playing of two organists at two organs. When the French king Henry III visited Saint Marc’s Basilica in 1576 the local organists Claudio Merulo and Andreas Gabrieli played together for the prominent guest.
Two mutually facing organs for playing together, solo or with ensembles, did not only exist in Venice, but also in many other churches in the North of Italy. The two organs for San Petronio in Bologna, which were completed in the years 1475 and 1596, are particularly noteworthy. The early repertory for this formation is not clearly defined as organ music, but allows any kind of instrument («ogni sorta di strumenti»). The exact allocation «a due organi» does not appear until two centuries later, in the compositions by Zucchinetti and Piazza.
The pieces by Rutini and Vanhal are examples of galant «clavier music» whose performance on clavichord, organ or harpsichord absolutely respond to the practice of the time around 1800.
Diruta calls the playing of the Venetian organists Merulo and Gabrieli «duello». The interpreters of the present recording do not intend a duel, but rather a peaceful form of «statement and objection», namely «dialoghi» …

Gustav Auzinger   [organ, clavichord]
Martina Schobersberger   [organ, harpsichord, clavichord]