Oaxaca: The Historic Organ Festival 4

We have already reported on the festival events at Tlacolula on Sunday February 23.  On the following Monday participants headed north once again for two day trip to the Mixteca Alta, to view several as yet unrestored organs and enjoy a final concert in the magnificent early church of Asunción Tlaxiaco (which we will look at in more detail in a forthcoming post).

First, the group visited San Mateo Yucucui, and journeyed to remote San Juan Ixtaltepec, located more than hour east of Yanhuitlan on a camino blanco from Nochistlán (more on these two churches later)

Teposcolula

Following a late meal in Teposcolula, we all toured the Dominican priory church of Saints Peter and Paul, viewing the old organ and enjoying the play of the afternoon sun on the golden stonework of the church front and its grand, newly restored open chapel.

The Tlaxiaco organ

The highlight of the day came when we attended an evening concert in the Tlaxiaco church by organist José Francisco Álvarez  accompanied by the baroque violinist Vladislav Badiarov, who electrified the audience with his brilliant solo performance of a Bach fugue.

text and photographs © 2014 Richard D. Perry