Organ Music in the Night

Chiesa San Pietro Apostolo

Our small town has five churches but only the chiesa madre, San Pietro Apostolo, is used regularly. This is where daily and Sunday mass is held and is in the piazza above our house in the centro storico. This is not a large or impressive church but is well cared for and on most Sundays there is standing room only. On holidays and special events you will find people spilling out into the piazza.

In the rear choir there is a beautiful pipe organ that we had not had the opportunity to hear until a few nights ago. Despite the presence of this instrument, the music during mass is provided by several women singing in unison accompanied by a guitar. On Tuesday a couple of musicians from the music conservatory in Potenza came to perform a special concert with the organ as the center piece.

The church and piazza were packed as the music filled the church and the adjoining streets through open windows. It was amazing the melodies and sounds that these musicians could entice from the organ, including the sounds of birds and various instruments. I have always enjoyed the sound of a pipe organ and especially under the control of a skilled musician.

After the concert stuzzichini and wine were served as everyone mingled and chatted. A concert, friends and some food on a cool spring evening…una vita piú bella.