In 1896, a priest complained in a Cagliari newspaper about dance music and opera tunes being played in church, highlighting a conflict with sacred music reform.
Recording & Production
This album features largely unpublished material, with the exception of two pieces previously recorded by Letizia Romiti.
Historical Context
In 19th-century Sardinia, organ music was often relegated to connecting with popular folk music and was not considered important within Catholic liturgy.
Performer Biography
Francesca Ajossa, the organist on this album, was admitted to the 'Young talent class' of the Haarlem Organ Academy in 2016.
Album & Artwork
The album's cover features Giovanni Marghinotti's 1864 painting, 'Festa campestre in Sardegna' (Country Festival in Sardinia).
Interpretation
The album's chronological ordering of pieces is broken by the first and last tracks, which were chosen for their strong 'identity' value.
Instruments
The organ used for this recording is the Piacentini and Battani organ in the Church of Santo Sepolcro in Cagliari, which was restored in 1991.
