Tiento 2o Tono por Gesolreut de Falsas

José Elías (c. 1678 – c. 1755), full name Josep Elias i Verdaguer, was a Catalan organist and composer in the tiento tradition.

He may have studied with Juan Cabanilles in Valencia but is first documented as organist in Barcelon at Sant Pere de les Puelles in 1712 and then at SS Justo y Pastor from 1715 to 1725, after which he moved to Madrid to become Capellan de su Majestad and principal organist of the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales.

It is unknown whether Joseph Elias, organist from 1739 to 1741 at the Hieronymite monastery of El Parral was the same person.

William R. Shannon edited this remarkable piece, consisting of ever resolving dissonants (falsas).

This seemed like a good piece to demonstrate the excellent sounds of the Santanyi organ, built by Jordi Bosch and expertly restored by Gerhard Grenzing and beautifully captured by Sonus Paradisi. The somewhat older sampleset still sounds great.

The piece goes in three parts and the registrations chosen are:

First part: Soft Flautadas 16, 8, 4 B/D
Second part: + Octava 2' B/D
Third part: + Ple (25 ranks) B/D

Probably completely beside everything known about historical registrations of Spanish music, but just my two cents... :-)