The world famous American Concert Organist Carlo Curley will be
appearing at the Christchurch Town Hall on Sunday 19th September, to what
promises to be a most enthusiastic audience.
To be fair, classical music isn't everyone's cup of tea but when
a musician boldly announces that 'Bach invented Rock and Roll',
that a particular composition by Handel is a 'real toe-tapper'
and that during the next piece his 'size 12's are going to go bananas
with smoke rising from the pedalboard', it takes a strong will
to turn a deaf ear. Just such a performer is Carlo Curley, self-styled
champion of the classical organ, a large and charismatic figure
who has dedicated his life to blowing the cobwebs out of the organ
loft and bringing music to suit all tastes to the masses - and
by all accounts, they're loving every moment of it.
American by birth but of Irish extraction, Carlo Curley - ('It
really is my name, can you believe that!') - has a most creditable
musical pedigree. His mother was a concert violinist with a Florida
symphony orchestra, whilst his grandmother held a conservatoire
post as Professor of Piano in Boston. In fact it was she who first
encouraged Carlo to take piano tuition when one day she heard him
accurately following the melody-line of a Bach piece on his toy
piano. 'I was about four and a half years old and it was probably
the greatest mistake of my life,' he jokes, 'Because from that
moment on, she virtually chained me to the keyboard and forced
me to practise every day until my poor little fingers were throbbing.'
By the age of six, young Carlo had set his sights on the local
church organ but, perhaps not unnaturally, the organist refused
to let him near it. Undaunted by this, our young champion, armed
with an empty mineral bottle, returned and promptly smashed his
way in through a basement window ! Not even injuries requiring
25 stitches could deter him from his goal, and in Carlo's own
words, ' When I finally got my hands on the keys and heard that
magnificent sound, I knew that I was hooked, and I've been playing
the King of Instruments ever since.'
From an early age Carlo studied music at the North Carolina School
of the Arts for talented children, and held his first professional
post at 15 years of age, as organist and choirmaster at a large
Baptist church in Atlanta, Georgia. By the age of 17 he was touring
the USA, and a year later became Director of Music at Girard College,
Philadelphia. Initially tutored by the late Virgil Fox, Carlo later
came to London to study with the late Sir George Thalben-Ball.
ELEGANT PERFORMANCES
Carlo is justly world-famous for his elegant performances and quick
wit. His delightful informality has attracted a whole new following,
although not all his contemporaries are so enthusiastic about
the tongue-in-cheek approach of someone who occasionally combines
the music of the gods with the mischief of the devil.
His self-proclaimed mission is “to establish the organ at the
forefront of musical instruments, even if it takes the rest of
my life”.
“A hundred meteors crashed into a new galaxy” (The Observer) is
just one description of the effect produced by this extraordinary
performer. The American concert organ virtuoso has been named ‘Pavarotti
of the Organ’ because of his larger than life presence and overwhelming
talent.
RECORDING CONTRACT
Carlo has delighted in playing and recording some of the finest
classical pipe organs in existence and has recorded in the past
exclusively for Decca International. 'My sleeve notes were translated
into most major languages including Japanese' says Carlo. 'Not
a simple task!'
MISSIONARY WORK
'I'm not trying to take the classical organ out of the church,
because it has its own very special place there, but what I desperately
want to do is to show the organ in another light. I play any
music, as long as its good music and I do enjoy playing lots
of my own arrangements and transcriptions too - in fact anything
to make the classical organ more appealing to a wider audience.
And that doesn't mean 'cheapen' it, because I think you can make
something popular without making it Las Vegas glitzy. Music speaks
for itself and doesn't need that much enhancement, but I would
propose to you that the classical organ needs more missionary
work than any other instrument. Phew, isn't that just the truth
!'
NEW TECHNOLOGY
'I would never say that even the latest, state-of-the-art, digital
organs, such as the one I take to pipeless venues, can replicate
the sound of a magnificent cathedral organ, but the classical
organist who does not at least investigate the new technology
will eventually not have a job, because the cost of pipe organ
restoration is becoming prohibitive. I greatly respect what has
gone before, but as this is now the 21st century, anyone who
declares that we classical organists must only play on organs
with mechanical action, such as those built in the time of Bach
can't see the wood for the trees !
Well known for attracting large audiences, Carlo Curley's world-wide
press reviews are unstinting in their praise. Not only has he been
dubbed "the Pavarotti of the Organ", but the South China
Post reported, "He is a masterful interpreter....a musician
of great integrity."
But Carlo, as always, has the last word. 'Righty-ho. Here we go'
he says settling back to his practice session. 'Fasten those seat
belts. This is going to part hair at fifty paces !'
