The Impro Organ Challenge

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Zuzana Ferjenćíková and László Fassang. A friendly duel to the last breath, celebrating the 30 editions of Bergamo International OrganFestival.

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Corna organ, Bergamo Cathedral

Bergamo Cathedral has a cathedral organ built in 2010 by organ builder, Pietro Corna. The 48 stops are distributed among three very classically Italian divisions and a Swell with strings and reed stops for the Romantic organ literature, designed as a floating division. Typical stops are the Tromba en chamade 8′ and the repetitive Regale en chamade 4’/16′ on the third manual (Resonance).

The Bergamo Cathedral began to be built in the middle of the 15th century, on foundations that were 1000 years older. In the 19th century in particular, it was extended and embellished, and finally the impressive white marble façade was completed. The interior overwhelms with its light-flooded magnificence, coloured marble marble, golden ornaments and valuable paintings.

Zuzana Ferjenčíková was the first woman to win 1st. Prize at the International Organ Improvisation Competition in Haarlem. That was in 2004 and it was not her only competition success. Growing up in Slovakia, she received important impulses as an organist at the music conservatories in Bratislava and Vienna, but above all from Jean Guillou in Zurich and Paris. She performs his work as an interpreter at international festivals, just as she does Franz Liszt and Marcel Dupré. As a composer, she has an impressive œuvre with works for organ, piano and mixed instrumental ensembles. She is the founding president of the Vienna Franz Liszt Society. Since 2021, she teaches organ at Codarts University for Music in Rotterdam.

László Fassang improvises on any keyboard instrument he can get his hands on, be it a harpsichord or a Hammond organ. Stylistically, he likes to look at jazz or world music. But, of course, he also masters the classical repertoire, which he teaches in concerts, and in lectures all over the world. He won his most important organ prizes in Calgary in 2002 (improvisation) and in Chartre in 2004 (interpretation). He graduated from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and the Conservatoire National Supérieure in Paris. He now teaches at both institutions. He is also artistic director of the organ series at the Palace of Arts in Budapest.

László Fassang

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