LATROBE, PA – The Saint Vincent College Concert Series continues into November with the next installment of Music at Midday, featuring “Eight Little Preludes and Fugues” for organ, performed by J. Christopher Pardini in the Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica Crypt.
The performance, scheduled for noon on Friday, Nov. 21, features the “Eight Little Preludes and Fugues” long attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach, a German composer and musician. A scientific study and subsequent analysis conducted in the late 1980s suggest the works may instead have been composed by one of Bach's pupils.
Whether composed by the master himself or a gifted student, these charming and expressive works have inspired generations of musicians and continue to enchant audiences around the world.
“These eight pieces are the gateway that all organ students travel through on their way to the study of Bach's true masterworks,” said Pardini, who serves as Concert Series director and an instructor of music and performing arts at the College. “Every organist has played at least one. Although probably not the work of Bach, they are miniature masterworks, nonetheless.”
The Music at Midday performance is a rare opportunity to hear all eight works played in one sitting by Pardini, an organist who has spent over 30 years playing and teaching these lovely pieces.
