One of the rarest instruments presented in Šibenik
- by croatiaweek
- in Entertainment
The Šibenik Organ Summer School is celebrating its 31st edition this year. It promotes the rich organ heritage of Šibenik and nurtures new enthusiasts for this unique instrument.
As part of the school, renowned Slovenian organist Tomaž Sevšek Šramel performed on a rarely seen instrument—the clavichord, HRT reports.
The clavichord is a rectangular keyboard instrument with strings that dates back to the Late Middle Ages and was widely used during the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods. Historically, it served primarily as a practice tool and a composition aid due to its soft volume, which was unsuitable for large performances.
The instrument generates sound by using small metal blades known as tangents to strike brass or iron strings, with the resulting vibrations transmitted through the bridge(s) to the soundboard.
The name comes from the Latin term “clavis,” which means “key” (related to the more frequently used “clavus,” meaning “nail” or “rod”) and the Greek word “chorda”, which means “string,” particularly referring to a musical instrument.
(Photo: Enfo/CC BY-SA 3.0)
Playing such an instrument is a great honour, but mastering it requires a lot of practice:
“The clavichord was an instrument often used alongside the organ, primarily for home music-making, practising, and teaching,” says Tomaž Sevšek Šramel.
For 31 years, the Organ Summer School in Šibenik has been educating its participants:
“I am from Dubrovnik, and I am very attracted to the organ. Since we don’t have an organ teacher, my aunt showed me that this school exists, and now I attend,” says Paula, a student at the school.
“It’s very nice, and what attracts me most is the ability to change sounds for different compositions, which I really liked,” adds Margarita, another student.
For Kristijan, who usually plays the piano, a long-held dream has finally come true:
“Since the first grade of music school, I’ve wanted to play the organ. They are mainly historical instruments, whereas pianos, when played, are usually recent, at most 10, 20, or 30 years old,” says Kristijan.
The melody of the organ provides a unique journey into the musical past, and Šibenik is an ideal setting for learning, with nine historic organs in the old town centre and the oldest instrument in Croatia:
“It is a musical centre in terms of old, historical organs, which, of course, need to be properly preserved, reconstructed, refined, and maintained, but certainly, we should also encourage musical creativity,” notes musicologist Snježana Miklaušić Ćeran.
“We have calculated that the closest comparable place to us is the island of Brač, which has eight historical organs in total, while Šibenik has as many in the old town centre alone. We’ve entered our fourth decade of existence, and we’ve never had more participants than this year,” stated Pavao Mašić, the director of the Organ Summer School.
Thanks to them, the organ will undoubtedly continue to be played in Šibenik for a long time to come.
