Classical autumn
As summer turns to Autumn or Fall or Autunno so the days are shorter and evenings are cooler. Here at Bellaugello Gay Guest House guys are using the remaining warmth of the sun to lounge poolside through the day and as dusk descends head to the wood fired sauna.
Umbria is a great region to live in, it is still unspoilt, you eat well, it is stunningly beautiful, a home to fabulous art and architecture, the wines are world class and in the autumn, winter and spring most towns hold markets of local crafts and produce, and organise events and concerts.
So it was last night that I headed off to Gubbio our local town to the inaugural concert of the newly restored organ of the church of San Secondo. The guest organist, Rui Soares is Portuguese so must have travelled to get to Gubbio, so I reckoned must be worth hearing. After a superb dinner of simply grilled fillet of beed with pink sea salt and mixed salad at my favourite restaurant Dei Consoli in the centro storico of Gubbio I headed off to find the church and the concert.
I had seen the event on the Gubbio events website, a link for which I am posting onto my blog list – check out the right side of my blog page.
Not knowing the church I looked it up on Google Maps – better than apple maps I reckon and off I set. Only problem the church on the map is part of a monastery and the one I wanted must be the second ‘San Secondo’. A quick call to a friend and I arrived in perfect time to have missed the congratulatory speeches but in time for the start of the music.
And what a great concert it was, Soares played amazingly, his interpretation and dexterity truly awesome. Included in his recital was a piece by Pancrace Royer – Le March des Scythes. This piece is normally for the harpsichord – You Tube it, there are some great versions, but here last night it was transcribed for the newly restored organ. Of course I was slow with my record button on my iPhone but here is a ‘wee snippet’ of last night’s concert, just click on the following link:-
This was only one of the first in an entire season of concerts that range from Gregorian chant through Classical to Jazz and Pop, each of which a reason to tear oneself away from the blazing log fire in the dining room at Bellaugello and venture out to the magic of yet another Umbrian hill top town.
Why not join us for a classical autumn weekend? email: info@bellaugello.com