A single flute pipe and 6515 organ pipes – Como city tour

The request to guide a group of twenty Dutch Rotarians from Schiedam around the centre of Como came as a surprise. I had never done that before but it seemed like fun and a nice challenge. Knowing more usually also means admiring and appreciating more. Buildings, statues and squares come to life through anecdotes and explanations.

The stories I wrote about Como during the lockdown, from a musical background, came in handy now. I had to be able to offer a nice alternative in case the weather turned bad; I had thought of all sorts of things: wine tasting, a visit to a coffee roastery just outside the city, a visit to the silk museum.

Fortunately, the sun was shining and we could take the Como city walk I had mapped out, starting with an Italian ice cream, un gelato. My city tour of about ninety minutes ended in the Cathedral of Como.

I wanted to send my compatriots back home with a special memory and, as the climax of the day, I had asked the organist for an explanation of the organ. Stefano Gorla was willing to give a short explanation of the four organs and showed the peculiarities of each instrument. As a conclusion and icing on the cake, I played together with Stefano the Siciliano from the 2° Sonata in Mi Bemolle Maggiore for flute and basso continuo by J. S. Bach. One flute, one pipe, together with 6515 organ pipes.

Still great to be able to emotionalize my Dutch guests with sound, with music, after many beautiful impressions of the city. It was a first experience but one that I definitely want to repeat.

Each group will receive a tailor-made program and walking route. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.