HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Date of construction of the church: 1558, built as a retreat for Dominican friars in Oaxaca; choir loft, soto coro, and façade added around 1730
Date of construction of the organ: ca. 1725-1730
Builder: unknown
Inscriptions: the largest pipe of the bardón has a cross and the date 1735, as well as a reference to the 1867 intervention. All ranks numbered from 1 to 45.
RECENT INTERVENTION
Restoration: 1990-1991, Susan Tattershall; Mireya Olvera, restoration of the case
Funding: Fundación Pichiquequiti
DISPOSITION OF THE ORGAN
Left hand (21 keys)
1. Bardón (8´)
2. Flautado de 6 (palms) (4´)
3. Octava (2´)
4. Quincena (1´)
5. Diez y novena (2/3´)
6. Veintidosena /Quincena (1/2´- 1´)*
7. Bajoncillo (4´)
* Breaking register |
Right hand (24 keys)
1. Bardón (8´)
2. Flautado de 6 (palms) (4´)
3. Flautado II (4´)
4. Octava I (2´)
5. Octava II (2´)
6. Docena (1 1/3´)
7. Trompeta en batalla (8´)
Accesories: Pajaritos
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SUMMARY OF THE DISPOSITION
Flautados: LH- 4´, 2´, 1´, 2/3´, 1/2´-1´
Flutes: LH- 8´
Reeds: LH- 4´ (interior)
Accesories: Pajaritos (birds)
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RH- 4´, 4´, 2´, 2´, 1 1/3´
RH- 8´
RH- 8´ (exterior)
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ORGAN DESCRIPTION
Type: stationery four foot organ
Location in the church: in the choir loft on the right south (Epistle) side of the main altar
Measurements of the case: 3.68 m height x 2.03 m width x 0.87 m depth
Case finish: polychromed and gilded
Pipe finish: polychromed
Distribution of the façade pipes: correspond to the LH, divided among three towers, center tower with the tallest pipe in the center, side towers with pipes arranged chromatically
Distribution of the interior pipes: chromatic
Keyboard: made of bone and Mexican white pine in the nineteenth c., restored in 1991.
Compass: 45 keys C-c’’’ with a short octave
Key action: suspended without rollerboard
Stop action: probably from 1735 when the stop action controled by lateral slider pulls was changed to stop knobs on the façade; pajaritos stop is still operated by the original slider; registers divided middle c/c#.
Labels: made in 1991
Windchest: predates the additions of 1735; pallets numbered
Measurements of the windchest: 1 m length x 0.58 m width x 0.1 m height
Vertical channelboards: two- LH of flautado mayor and clarines
Offset chests: none
Bellows: two cuneiform types, covers original, new ribs and blower added in 1991; may be hand-pumped
Location of the bellows: to the right side of the organ
Wind pressure: 84 mm, original stone weights
Pitch and temperament: a = 392 HZ, 1/4 comma meantone
State of conservation: very good
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