THE OAXACA CATHEDRAL

Photo: David Hilbert

Drawing: José Luis Acevedo

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Date of church construction: began in 1544, reconstructed 1724-31, dedicated in 1733
Date of construction of the organ: 1711-1712
Builder: Matías de Chávez
Inscriptions: Back of the case: “14-3-1912 [and two illegible letters]” and "1912. Ignacio Garcia. El día 3 de febrero"

RECENT INTERVENTIONS

Reconstruction: 1997, Susan Tattershall (Project Director, Órganos Históricos de México, A.C.)
Funding: Fomento Social Banamex and Oaxaca Cathedral

DISPOSITION OF THE ORGAN

Left hand (21 keys)

1. Flautado de 13 (palms) (8´)
2. Trompeta real (8´)
3. Lleno III
4. Diez y novena (1 1/3´)
5. Quincena (2´)
6. Octava (4´)
7. Flauta en 8 (4´)
8. Bardón (8´)
9. Tambor

Right hand (26 keys)

1. Trompeta real (8´)
2. Diez y novena (1 1/3´)
3. Lleno IV
4. Quincena (2´)
5. Flauta en 8 (4´)
6. Octava (4´)
7. Bardón (8´)
8. Corneta IV
9. Flautado de 13 (palms) (8´)
10. Clarín (8´)
11. Pajaritos

SUMMARY OF THE DISPOSITION

Flautados: MI- 8´, 4´, 2´, 1 1/3´, lleno III
Flautas: MI- 8´, 4´
Lengüetas: MI- 8´ (interior)
Accesorios: Tambor, Pajaritos

MD- 8´, 4´, 2´, 1 1/3´, corneta, lleno IV
MD- 8´, 4´
MD- 8´ (interior), 8´ (exterior)

ORGAN DESCRIPTION

Type: eight foot organ
Location in the church: in the center of the balcony overlooking the choir area, facing the main altar
Measurements of the case: 6.48 m height x 4.83 m width x 1.07 m depth
Case finish: upper case from 1712, layers of white paint over red (over original green from 1712?) and gilding; lower case cedar built in 1997
Pipe finish: none; one polychromed pipe (from 1712 organ?) stored inside the case
Distribution of the façade pipes: corresponding to the LH and RH, divided among five towers with the tallest pipe in the center; four fields of mute pipes
Distribution of the interior pipes: chromatic
Keyboard: cedar made in 1997
Compass: 47 keys C-d’’’ with a short octave
Key action: suspended with a rollerboard
Stop action: stop knobs on both sides of the manual, divided middle c/c#
Labels: new, made in 1997
Windchest: 1911 from Tomás Ríos, redrilled in 1997
Measurements of the windchest: 2.11 m length x 0.81 m width x ? m height
Vertical channelboards: none, tubing off via metal conduits
Offset chests: two - bardón LH and corneta RH
Bellows: feeder/reservoir type made in 1997; may be hand-pumped; new blower
Location of the bellows: to the right of the organ
Wind pressure: 81 mm
Pitch and temperament: a = 392 Hz, 1/6 comma meantone
State of conservation: very good, though dirty because of its location downtown