Petrali: Complete Organ Works

Featuring

Giulio Piovani
Vincenzo Antonio Petrali

Did you know?

1/7

Recording & Production

This album is the first complete recording of the organ works of Vincenzo Petrali, one of the greatest Italian organists of the 19th century.

Compositional Technique

Petrali's organ compositions evolved from an early "theatrical style," influenced by opera, to a later style incorporating more counterpoint and independent pedal parts, aligning with the Cecilian Reform.

Critical Reception

After his generation, Petrali's music fell into oblivion as 19th-century music was generally branded as superficial, but a rediscovery movement began in the late 1960s.

Composer Biography

Petrali was a complete musician, studying piano and composition, and holding posts as an organist, kapellmeister, orchestra conductor, band conductor, and teacher, in addition to composing chamber, sacred, and operatic music.

Critical Reception

Petrali achieved legendary fame as an improviser, with one critic stating he was "absolutely unequalled" compared to other virtuosos like Saint-Saëns and Widor.

Composer Biography

Vincenzo Petrali was the dominant figure among Italian organists in the second half of the 19th century and was known as the "Prince of Italian Organists."

Instruments

The recordings were made on historical organs, including a Serassi 1852 and a Camillo Guglielmo Bianchi 1873/1887, chosen for their authentic sound characteristics from Petrali's era.