Long Live Art: those were the words of the day, on Saturday, 4^th August, 2012, in Brasov, that is if we are to guide ourselves after the translation of the title 'Viv'Arte', the name of the succession of events between 1^st and 5^th August, which culminated with the concert broadcast from the Black Church in Assembly Square.

What was the purpose?

It was the anniversary of sixty years since different generations of organ players of the church, a symbol of Brasov, have held organ concerts during summertime. For this reason, the members of the Forum Arts Association thought of an unique manifestation to mark this event. They invited the well known cultural journalist Catalin Stefanescu to be the guide of the audience during a walk through the history of key instruments: spinet, virginal, fortepiano, piano and, of course, the organ.

The musicians who brought these instruments to life were Hans Eckart Schlandt, Corina Ibanescu, Valentin Muresanu, whom you might know from 'Lipatti Days', Paul Cristian and Steffen Schlandt.

Basically, it was a celebration of heritage and tradition

These considerably old instruments were restored and they come from different collections. What is certain is that they gave us the opportunity to realize how different Renaissance and Baroque works sounded originally. The star of the instruments was, without a doubt, the Buchholz organ, built in 1839, and which even today sounds just as harmonious and Steffen Schlandt explained its mechanism in detail. It is an incredibly powerful instrument, which is preserved in its original shape and which constantly attracts organ players to the old Kronstadt. This actually is true, Eckart Schlandt, the organizer of the summer organ music seasons for more than forty years, stated in an interview that the musicians who play here do not come so much for the sake of their fees, but for the pleasure of playing on the Buchholz organ.

In memoriam Mihaela Ursuleasa

I would like to remember the moment In memoriam Mihaela Ursuleasa for whom Corina Ibanescu and Valentin Muresanu dedicated the first part of the Dolly suite. It was impossible to forget the pianist born in Brasov and who trained here and who died prematurely. She lived exactly as long as Dinu Lipatti, thirty three years. She was like a meteoric sighting, but we will never forget her. I would like to add that the event on Saturday night had an impressive success. I have never seen so many people in Assembly Square. Thousands of people came and saw this event, and as a conclusion I would like to use the words of a gentleman who was next to me, and who, in the end, said, and I quote: 'I've recharged my batteries for a full week'.