Auditorio de Tenerife Organ Marks 20th Anniversary
The Auditorio de Tenerife celebrates the 20th anniversary of its unique 3,835-pipe organ this Sunday with a talk by its builder Albert Blancafort and a concert by Sagrada Familia organist Juan de la Rubia.
This Sunday, the Auditorio de Tenerife celebrates the 20th anniversary of its organ. The Symphonic Hall, home to this huge instrument with 3,835 pipes, will host two special events.
First, at 11:00 AM, there will be a talk by master organ builder Albert Blancafort, who designed and built the organ with his team. Then, at 12:00 PM, Juan de la Rubia, the main organist of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, will perform a concert titled "Sound Architectures: 20 Years of Organ." Juan de la Rubia is originally from Valencia.
During his presentation, Blancafort will discuss the history of the organ, the work done in his workshop (which has built organs for churches and auditoriums around the world), and how the Auditorio de Tenerife's organ was created.
Juan de la Rubia studied organ, piano, and improvisation in various European cities. He has had a connection with the Auditorio de Tenerife since Blancafort was building the organ there at the end of the last century.
For the concert, Juan de la Rubia will present an exciting program. It will feature important German Baroque organ pieces, including works by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1850) – such as his chorale "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 180" and the well-known Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564. The concert will open with the overture to Georg Friedrich Handel's (1685-1759) opera Samson. The program also includes two pieces by Hans Zimmer (born 1957) from the 2014 film Interstellar. Other composers featured are Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), Louis Vierne (1870-1937), and Eugène Gigout (1844-1925). The concert will conclude with Juan de la Rubia's signature improvisations, showcasing his musical skill and quick thinking.
The Auditorio de Tenerife's organ is a unique 21st-century instrument, known for its design, sound, and range of tones. Its sounds come from 3,835 pipes hidden within the Symphonic Hall's walls. The organist plays it from a console on stage, which has four keyboards. It's also possible to add other external keyboards and even a smaller, portable organ, also designed by Blancafort.
Tickets for Sunday's events are available through the venue's usual sales points.