Rheinberg Toccata (2020)

Grimoaldo Macchia (b. 1972) — Rheinberg Toccata (2020) for organ

“Rheinberg Toccata” (2020) was written for Christoph Bartusek, organist at St. Peter’s Church in Rheinberg, Germany. The opening motive is based on the letters of “Rheinberg” converted to musical notes, and this theme forms the basic of all the following sections.

Grimoaldo Macchia (b. 1972) was born in Rome and began his musical studies there at the Arts Academy. He later graduated with honors in piano and composition from the Conservatory of Perugia, where he studied composition primarily with Stefano Bracci. For more than ten years he was a professor of music at the Junior International Institute in Rome. Macchia has had an active career as composer, music director, and organist in Europe, including extended appointments at St. Boniface’s Basilica in Rome and St. George’s Church, Arth, Switzerland. His organ compositions appear in the catalogs of numerous music publishers around the world.