iohio

THE RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC PIPE ORGAN
IN THE CHURCH OF SANTA MARÍA DE LA ASUNCIÓN
TLACOLULA, OAXACA

 

ABOUT THE ORGAN

Construction date: 1791, gilding and tuning 1792

Organbuilder: Manuel Neri y Carmona (Oaxaca)

Characteristics: 8´stationary organ with eight registers on the left side and seven on the right; 45 note keyboard divided c’/c#’; 336 flue, reed, and wooden pipes; restored pitch 415 Hz; height 4.36 m, width 3.25 m, depth 0.86 m.

DISPOSITION

Left hand: 21 notes C-c’ with a short octave
1. Clarines (Bajoncillo) 4´
2. Flautado mayor 8´
3. Bardón 8´
4. Octava 4´
5. Quincena 2´
6. Diecinovena 1 1/3´
7. Veintidocena 1´
8. Trompeta real 8´

Right hand: 24 notes c#’-c’’’
1. Clarines 8´
2. Flautado mayor 8´
3. Bardón 8´
4. Octava 1° 4´
5. Quincena 1° 2´
6. Octava 2° 4´
7. Quincena 2° 2´


THE RESTORATION OF THE TLACOLULA ORGAN

Restoration of the case and façade pipes: Usanza company, Eric González Castellanos (Oaxaca), director

Restoration of the organ’s mechanism and sound: Gerhard Grenzing organ company (El Papiol, Spain), Andreas Fuchs project director

Project initiative and organization: Instituto de Órganos Históricos de Oaxaca (IOHIO), Cicely Winter, director

Financing: Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú Oaxaca (FAHHO), Marciano Sánchez (from Tlacolula), the Pro-Organ Committee of Tlacolula, and the IOHIO.

Ecclesiastical support: Salvador Cruz Sánchez, the priest of the Tlacolula church

Institutional authorization and overview: Coordinación Nacional de Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural (CNCPC) del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historía (INAH)

Main challenges: repair the woodworm damage of the case and interior components; replace missing pipes; add extensions to the pipes to recover the historic tuning of 415 Hz, since all had been cut to raise the pitch to 440 Hz.

Reinauguration: February 23, 2014, with a mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Oaxaca-Antequera and an organ and voice concert presented by Roberto Fresco, Lourdes Ambriz, and Rafael Cárdenas as part of the IOHIO’s Tenth International Organ and Early Music Festival.

Ongoing activity: The organ is played regularly for masses (including weddings, baptisms, quinceaños, and special religious festivities), and concerts. It is maintained by the IOHIO.

PHASE 1: RESTORATION OF THE CASE
AND PAINTED FAҪADE PIPES

December 2012 – 2013

Removing the organ pipes

  

 
Fumigating the case
  Storing and protecting the largest pipes  

  

 
Cleaning the faҫade pipes
 
Cleaning the case
 

     

 
Consolidating the paint
 
The paint is consolidated on the left side
 

Decorative moldings before and after

  

 
Copying a missing carving
 
Applying gold leaf to the new piece
 

 

Organ case before and after restoration

The restored façade pipes

PHASE 2: RESTORATION OF THE ORGAN’S MECHANISM AND SOUND

October 2013 - February 2014

The restoration shop was set up in the choir loft of the Tlacolula church

The priest, padre Salvador Cruz (right), viewing the work in process

  

Restoration of the bellows by Oaxaca organbuilder David Antonio Reyes

 
Preparing and gluing the leather
 
Assembling the bellows
 

  

 
The first bellows is finished
 
Restored wind trunk
 

  

 
Preparing the pipes for extensions
 
Cutting pieces for extensions
 

  

 
Sottering the pipe extensions
 
Pipes with added extensions
 

  

 
Cleaning the base of the wind chest
 
Restoring the channel board
 

  

 
Pallets ready to be installed
 
Pallets installed
 


    

  Assembling new pieces of the roller board   Roller board restored  


   

 
New leather hinges for the keyboard
 
Positioning the keys in the key bed
 


The finished organ