Restoration of historic organs

Askari Mateos
More than 450 years have passed since the first Dominican Friar first set foot on what is now known as Oaxaca to begin the religious and cultural conversion.
Sixty-eight historic organs remind us of a musical past that went hand in hand with the evangelization process. Such instruments, built according to Spanish models between 1680 and 1900, have been altered over the passage of time, their deterioration, in great measure is due to their being abandoned once they stopped working. However, in recent years an interest in the historic organs has developed and many restoration projects have been implemented all over the country.

Oaxaca has also been a part of this interest and through the Instituto de Órganos Históricos de Oaxaca (IOHIO) for several years there has been a series of restorations.

At the present there are now seven organs functioning. These are located in the temples of San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya, San Andrés Zautla, Santa María de la Natividad Tamazulapan, Santo Domingo Yanhuitlán, Santa María de la Asunción Tlaxiaco, and the Cathedral of Oaxaca and the Basílica of the Soledad in the capital of Oaxaca, and there is an eighth restoration in process in San Pedro Zapotitlán Lagunas.

And although the other sixty instruments exist in various states of deterioration, almost all of them can be restored or reconstructed, so one day they too will be able to participate in the recreation of the sounds that once filled the magnificent baroque churches in this state.

IOHIO was started in the year 2000 thanks to the initiative of Cicilia Winter and Edward Pepe to save this legacy. It’s a non-profit non-government organization that works together with the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), the Oaxaca Sicarú Trust, various cultural institutions in Mexico, the religious authorities, researchers of the archives of Oaxaca and organists and other musicians in Mexico and abroad.

The Organs

The organ in San Jerónimo Talcochahuaya in the Central Valleys dates from before 1735 and its maker is unknown, however it has had modifications in 1735, 1867 and in 1890 by José Ignacio Sánchez. It has 21 notes for the left hand and 24 for the right hand. Its last restoration was carried out by Susan Tattershall in 1990.

The organ in San Andrés Zautla, also in the Central Valleys, dates from 1726 and its maker is also unknown. It has 21 notes for the left hand and 24 for the right. Its longest pipe has a cross inscribed on it that dates from 1726. It was restored in 1998 by the director of Organos Históricos de Mexico Susan Tattershall.

The organ in Santa María de la Natividad Tamazulapam in the High Mixteca dates from the beginning of the 18th. century. The maker is unknown; it has 21 notes for the left hand and 26 for the right hand. It was reconstructed by Susan Tattershall and all the pipes were made by Michel Boissonet of Pieter Visser Associates.

The organ in the Cathedral of Oaxaca in the capital of the state has a lot of history and it is supposed that it is from the 17th century and could have been built by Maria Ruiz Maldonado and Pedro Antonio Pérez. It was worked on in 1898 when two organs were combined to latter be moved to a higher floor. In 1907-8 Wagner and Levien repaired the organ and moved it to the loft. In 1911 and 1957 it was renovated. It has 21notes for the left hand and 24 for the right. Its last restoration was carried out in 1997 under the direction of Susan Tattershall.

The organ of Santo Domingo Yanhuitlán in the High Mixteca was supposedly built in the 18th century by an unknown master. In 1886 it was worked on by Jesus Cano. It has 23 notes for the left hand and 24 for the right hand. Over its lifetime this organ has been severly damaged. It is missing many of its original pipes, and those it had from the 19th century were removed and replaced by new one before its most recent restoration. It was rebuild between 1996 and 98 by Pascal Quoirin under the coordination of Gustavo Delgado and Ofelia Gomez thanks to the support of the Banamex Cultural Foundation.

The body of the organ of La Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad in the capital of the state, dates from 1686 and the organ from the end of the 18th century. Its builder is unknown, but it is supposed to have had work done in the fifties. It has 21 notes for the left hand and 24 for the right. It has various inscriptions, some of which are difficult to read. The names of Jesus, Maria and Jose are inscribed in three of the covers as well as crosses in several of the pipes. The reconstruction of this organ was carried out by Peter Visser with Ignacio Zapata as his assistant, and it was carried out thanks to the support of the parish priest of the Basilica, Heriberto Alvarez Galán. And, was financed by the Banamex Cultural Fund and under the coordination of Justavo Delgado and Ofelia Gómez.

As part of its approach to these instruments, the IOHIO organizes the annual Festival de Organo y Músia Antigua de Oaxaca, to which they invite the most recognized players from the whole world. The also offer piano concerts on the first Sunday of each month in the Ex-Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, and one of organ on the first Saturday of each month in the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad. The admittance to these events is free but the institution is open to receive donations.

Instituto de órganos históricos de Oaxaca
Reforma 500, Oaxaca, Oax.
Teléfono (951) 516 3956
www.iohio.org
E-mail: organos@iohio.org