Organs of St. Peter's Basilica

Organs of St. Peter's Basilica
General
place	St. Peter's Basilica
Organ builder	Tambourini
Construction year	1962
Technical specifications
Number of registers	80
Tone tract	Electric
Register action	Electric
Number of 32 'registers	2

The main organ of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome was built from 1953 to 1962 by the Italian company Tamburini on the basis of a Walcker organ from 1894. It is divided into two parts behind the pillars of the choir and has 80 stops. From a musical point of view, the organ is not appropriate to the dimensions of the building and has been called the “largest choir organ in the world”. Numerous projects by well-known organ builders in the 19th and 20th centuries to build a large organ in the basilica, however, were not realized.

In the choir chapel two two-manual organs are placed opposite one another behind the same casing. The Morettini organ from 1887 has 18 registers, the Tamburini organ from 1974 has 21 registers. A mobile Walcker organ that Helmut Schmidt gave to the Pope in 1981 has 11 registers.

James Edward Goettsche has been the organist of St. Peter's Basilica since 1989 .

Main organ

Multi-choir music-making in Salzburg Cathedral

history

16th to 18th century

Galleries on the pillars

When planning the basilica, four galleries on the pillars facing the dome were planned for church music. The multi-choir music-making from the galleries corresponded to the usual performance practice of the time; a comparable ensemble of galleries can be seen (again) in Salzburg Cathedral today.

At the time of Frescobaldi , who became the organist of St. Peter in 1608, three organs were available in St. Peter's Basilica. It was certainly not intended to fill the entire room and, given the very small number of instruments, it was not possible either. One of these instruments is now in the sacrament chapel ; however, only the prospectus has been preserved for this instrument . It was built in 1582 and was housed in a gilded case on the right side of the altar. The other instruments have not been preserved.

In 1626 the Cappella Tornabuoni received an organ, which Morettini replaced in 1885 with an instrument with a double-sided prospectus. Tamburini rebuilt this organ in 1975.

19th century

Even in the 19th century there was still no larger organ in St. Peter that could have filled the huge space. After his visit in 1828, Stendhal remarked:

«Il manque dans Saint-Pierre un orgue digne d'un tel vase. »

"There is no organ in Sankt Peter that is worthy of such a room."

- Stendhal : Promenades Dans Rome (1828)

Designed by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1875

Draft for an organ for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in 1888 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll

In 1875 Aristide Cavaillé-Coll , who was at the height of his fame after building the organ in St-Sulpice and Notre-Dame in Paris , designed a gigantic organ with five manuals and 124 registers. It was supposed to be hung on the east wall in a case by Alphonse Paul Joseph Marie Simil (* 1841) with a 32 'prospectus.

Pius IX appears open-minded at first, but later only laconically declared “suspendimus organa nostra”. In 1887 Leo XIII. presented a 1:10 scale model, but without success. The model is still in a storage room at the foot of the basilica's dome. Cavaillé-Coll died without being able to carry out the project.

Walcker organ from 1894

As early as 1894, the company EF Walcker & Cie. Was contacted for the musical accompaniment of the fairs in St. Peter . Ludwigsburg approached and had ordered a small - mobile - pneumatic instrument with 20 registers on two manuals and pedal (Opus 732), which despite two high pressure registers could hardly fill the room. The deciding factor for the commission to Walcker was probably Remigio Renzi , organist of St. Peter and at the same time professor at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia, who had recently ordered a similar instrument for the Conservatory.

20th century

In 1902 Carlo Vegezzi-Bossi was commissioned to make another mobile organ, which was supposed to be a copy of the Walker organ. The Bossi instrument had 25 registers on two manuals and a pedal and was placed opposite the Walker organ on the right side of the choir.

Designed by Charles Mutin in 1910

Another attempt to build a large organ was undertaken under the pontificate of Pius X in 1910 by Cavaillé-Coll's successor, Charles Mutin . The Cavaillé-Colls disposition was expanded to 153 registers with 10,603 pipes with an electric action. However, Pope Pius XI decided that the organ could not be placed on the east wall, instead it should be mobile.

Charles-Marie Widor collected 60,000 francs for this project. Due to the First World War - and probably also due to the emerging Cecilianism - this project could not be realized either. The 60,000 francs collected were used to finance the flooring in the St. Peter's choir.

New construction by Tamburini 1953 to 1962

Side part of the organ with "Positivo" and "Solo"

Tamburini organ console

Until the 1950s, Æolian-Skinner , Willis and GF Steinmeyer & Co. presented several designs for a large organ - like Cavaillé-Coll and Mutin, however, without success.

Under Fernando Germani , the organ builder Tamburini was finally commissioned to build and enlarge the two existing organs. Work on it ran from 1953 to 1962.

The two (new) organs should be mobile again, but in fact they never left their place in the choir. Both organs could now be played electrically from a single four-manual console (in the choir stalls). The manuals II (main work), III (recitativo) and pedals I were essentially replaced by the old Walcker organ on the Gospel page (left), and manuals I (positive), IV (solo) and pedals II the Vegezzi Bossi Organ distributed on the epistle page (right). The organ received numerous octave couplers and high-pressure reeds in order to at least barely compensate for the acoustically extremely unfavorable location behind the massive pillars. For reasons of space, however, only acoustic 32 'registers could be built.

The organ has a total of 80 stops. In 2002 Mascioni repaired the organ and delivered a new three-manual radio console.

Disposition since 1963

I positivo C – c 4 01. Principals 16 ′ 02. Principale forte 08th' 03. Principale dolce 08th' 04th Ottava 04 ′ 05. Duodecima 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ 06th Decimaquinta 02 ′ 07th Decimasettima 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′ 08th. Ripieno V 02 ′ 09. Ripieno VI 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ 10. Tromba 08th'

II Grand'Organo C – c 4 11. Sub diapason 16 ′ 12. Principale stentor 08th' 13. diapason 08th' 14th Principals 08th' 15th Flauto aperto 08th' 16. Corno di Camoscio 08th' 17th Ottava Diapason 04 ′ 18th Prestante 04 ′ 19th Duodecima 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ 20th Decimaquinta 02 ′ 21st Gran Ripieno VII 02 ′ 22nd Ripieno Acuto V 01' 23. Cimbalo III 1 ⁄ 2 ′ 24. Tromba bassa 16 ′ 25th Orrizontal tromba 08th' 26th Tromba forte 08th' 27. Tromba a squillo 08th' 28. Tromba a squillo 04 ′

III Recitativo (swellable) C – c 4 29 Tibia profunda 16 ′ 30th Principale di legno 08th' 31. Tibia 08th' 32. Bordone 08th' 33. Viola forte 08th' 34. Voce celeste 08th' 35. Flauto in selva 04 ′ 36. Fugara 04 ′ 37. Nazardo 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ 38. Flauto silvestre 02 ′ 39. Ripieno V 02 ′ 40. tuba 08th' 41. Tromba armonica 08th' 42. Tuba Clarone 04 ′ tremolo

IV Solo C – c 4 43. diapason 08th' 44. Bordone 08th' 45. viola 08th' 46. Voce celeste 08th' 47. Ottava Diapason 04 ′ 48. Flauto orchestral 04 ′ 49. Ottavino 02 ′ 50. Tromba bassa 16 ′ 51. Orrizontal tromba 08th' 52. Tromba forte 08th' 53. Tromba a squillo 08th' 54. Tromba armonica 08th' 55. Tromba a squillo 04 ′ 56. Trombina 04 ′ tremolo

Pedals C– 57. Basso acustico 32 ′ 58. Acustico 32 ′ 59. diapason 16 ′ 60. Principals 16 ′ 61. Tibia profunda 16 ′ 62. Subbasso I 16 ′ 63. Subbasso II 16 ′ 64. Contrabbasso 16 ′ 65. Violone Contrabbasso 16 ′ 67. Gran Quinta 10 2 ⁄ 3  ′ 68. Ottava 08th' 69. Basso 08th' 70. Flauto basso 08th'

(Continuation) 71. Bordone 08th' 72. Violone 08th' 73. Ottava 1 04 ′ 74. Ottava 2 04 ′ 75. Tromba bassa 16 ′ 76. Trombones 16 ′ 77. Bombarda 16 ′ 78. Tromba forte 08th' 79. Trombones 08th' 80. Tromba 08th' 81. Clarone 04 ′

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Pedals II.

Technical specifications

• 77 + 2 registers, 80 rows of pipes, pipes.
• Game table (s) :
  • 2 free-standing gaming tables, one of them via radio.
  • 3 or 4 manuals.
• Action :
  • Tone action: Electric.
  • Stop action: electric.

Organs in the choir chapel

In the choir chapel, on the left side of the main nave, there are two small organs. They stand opposite one another on two large singing galleries and look identical on the outside.

Morettini organ (1887)

history

The organ on the left gallery was built in 1887 by the organ builder Nicola Morettini based on a design by Filippo Capocci. The instrument has 18 stops on two manuals and a pedal. The actions are mechanical.

Disposition since 1887

I Grand'Organo C-g 3 01. Principale mostra 16 ′ 02. Principals 08th' 03. viola 08th' 04th Bordone 08th' 05. Salicionale 08th' 06th Ottava 04 ′ 07th Pieno V 08th. Tromba 08th'

II Espressivo C – g 3 09. Principals 08th' 10. Flauto 08th' 11. Voce Umana 08th' 12. Ottavino 04 ′ 13. Ottava 04 ′ 14th Pieno III 15th Clarino 08th' 16. Trombina 04 ′

Pedals C – d 1 17th Subbasso 16 ′ 18th Basso 08th'

Tamburini organ (1974)

history

Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, tamburini organ in the choir chapel. The prospectus corresponds to the baroque organ from 1626

The organ on the right side gallery was built in 1974 by the Tamburini organ building company. The instrument has 25 stops on two manuals and a pedal. The actions are electric. The game table has been on the ground floor in the chapel room since 1999.

Disposition since 1974

I Grand'Organo C – c 4 1. Principals 16 ′ 2. Principals 8th' 3. Flauto Armonico 8th' 4th Dulciana 8th' 5. Ottava 4 ′ 6th Flauto a camino 4 ′ 7th XV 2 ′ 8th. Ripieno I 9. Ripieno II 10. Tromba 8th'

II Espressivo C – c 4 11. Bordone 16 ′ 12. Flauto Traverso 8th' 13. Viola d'Amore 8th' 14th Corno di Notte 4 ′ 15th Flauto Silvestre 2 ′ 16. Pienino III 17th Tromba Armonica 8th' 18th Voce Celeste 8th' tremolo

Pedals C – g 1 19th Acustico 32 ′ 20th Contrabbasso 16 ′ 21st Subbasso 16 ′ 22nd Ottava 8th' 23. Bordone 8th' 24. Flauto Corale 4 ′ 25th Bombarda 16 ′

Small organ

Walcker organ

There is also a small two-manual organ with 11 registers by Walcker, which Helmut Schmidt gave to John Paul II in 1981 for the open-air masses on St. Peter's Square. The slider chest instrument has mechanical play and stop action.

I. Manual C-g 3 1. Principal 8th' 2. Reed flute 8th' 3. octave 4 ′ 4th Field flute 2 ′ 5. Mixture IV 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′

II. Manual C-g 3 6th Wooden dacked 8th' 7th Gemshorn 4 ′ 8th. Principal 2 ′ 9. Sharp III 1'

Pedals C – f 1 10. Sub bass 16 ′ 11. trombone 8th'

• Coupling: II / I, I / P, II / P

Digital sacred organ

Due to the difficult acoustic conditions of St. Peter's Basilica, the uniform sounding of all areas of the basilica by the pipe organs is inadequate. The Vatican therefore decided to install a digital sacred organ , the sounds of which are also emitted via the electro-acoustic system in the church . The three-manual instrument, specially modified for the Vatican, a gift from the manufacturer Allen Organ Company, was put into operation at Christmas 2017. It stands on a mobile pedestal and can therefore easily be moved to St. Peter's Square or other places in the Vatican. The installation of an electronic organ has caused consternation among church musicians.

Organists

• 1597–1608: Ercole Pasquini (* between 1550 and 1560 in Ferrara ; † between 1608 and 1619 in Rome )
• 1608–1614, 1615–1628 and 1634–1643: Girolamo Frescobaldi (* 1583 in Ferrara, † 1643 in Rome)
• 1657–1691: Fabritio Fontana (*? In Turin ; † September 28, 1695 in Rome)
• 1713–1719: Domenico Scarlatti (* 1685 in Naples , † 1757 in Madrid )
• 1883–1938: Remigio Renzi (* 1857; † 1938)
• 1948–1959: Fernando Germani (* 1906 in Rome, † 1998 in Rome)
• 1960–1979: Erich Arndt (* in Breslau )
• Since 1989: James Edward Goettsche (* 1943 in Los Angeles )

literature

• François Comment: Les orgues de la Basilique Saint-Pierre de Rome . In: La Tribune de l'Orgue . tape 57 , no. 2 , 2005, ISSN  1013-6835 , p. 24-27 .
• In memory of France's greatest organ builder. Draft for a monumental organ for St. Peter's Church in Rome by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll . In: Alexander Wilhelm Gottschalg (Ed.): Urania: Music magazine for organ building, organ and harmonium playing . tape 57 , no. 2 , 1900, p. 11-12 .
• Aart de Kort: Orgels in Rome . In: Orgels in Rome. De Orgelvriend . tape 43 , 7/8 and 9, 2001, pp. 34–39 and pp. 24–27 .
• Robert Moynihan : For the glory of God and the joy of people . In: Vatican magazine . No. December 12 , 2010, p. 22–26 ( leonardy.org [PDF; 1.1 MB ]).
• Jean-Michel Sanchez: Saint-Pierre de Rome, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll et Alphonse Simil. Un projet d'orgue monumental non réalisé (1875). In: L'Orgue . No. 286 , 2009, p. 63-71 .
• Gilberto Sessantini: Il sogno di Aristide . In: Arte Organaria e Organistica . tape 6 , no. 28 , 1999, pp. 26-33 .
• New organ for St. Peter's Church in Rome . In: New Musical Press . tape 4 , no. 36 , 1895, pp. 8 (see also Volume 5, 1896, No. 5, p. 13.).
• A new original organ work . In: Urania: music magazine for organ building, organ and harmonium playing . tape 52 , 1895, pp. 70 .
• New works by E. Fr. Walcker & Comp . In: Urania: music magazine for organ building, organ and harmonium playing . tape 52 , 1895, pp. 76 .
• Wilhelm Widmann: Monumental organ for St. Peter in Rome . In: The church choir . tape 39 , 1909, pp. 93 sq .

Web links

Commons : Organs of St. Peter's Basilica  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Organ project St. Peter's Basilica on Bernhard Leonardy's website
• Vatican Organ Links (private website)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} François Comment: Les orgues de la Basilique Saint-Pierre de Rome . In: La Tribune de l'Orgue . tape 57 , no. 2 , 2005, p. 24-27 .
2. ↑ See also Giovanni Battistelli et al. a. (Ed.): Organi e Cantorie nelle Chiese di Roma . Istituto poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Rome 1994, p. 50-53 .
3. ^ Stendhal : Promenades Dans Rome . Bibliobazaar, 2008, ISBN 978-0-559-40874-8 , pp. 146 .
4. ↑ See Cécile and Emmanuel Cavaillé-Coll: Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. Ses origines, sa vie, ses œuvres. Fischbacher, Paris 1982, p. 133-136 (first edition: 1929).
5. ↑ Robert Moynihan : For the glory of God and the joy of men . In: Vatican magazine . No. December 12 , 2010, p. 26 ( leonardy.org [PDF; 1.1 MB ]). leonardy.org ( Memento from March 16, 2017 in the Internet Archive )
6. ^ Morettini organ , accessed on November 23, 2014.
7. ↑ Graziano Fronzuto: Organi di Roma. Guida pratica orientativa agli organi storici e moderni. Leo S. Olschki Editore, Florence 2007, ISBN 978-88-222-5674-4 , p. 75.
8. ↑ gewalcker.de ( Memento from November 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 4.0 MB) Various newspaper articles on the handover of the organ in L'Osservatore Romano from April 1981, accessed on April 14, 2012
9. ↑ From the pipe to bit and byte: Why there is now a digital organ in Sankt Peter. In: Vatican News. December 30, 2017, accessed January 2, 2018 . 
10. ^ All organs in The Vatican! In: Allen Organ Company website. December 12, 2017, accessed January 2, 2018 . 
11. ↑ New St. Peter's Basilica organ is "poor solution" , kathisch.de of January 15, 2018.
12. ↑ Erich Arndt. In: lfmagazine.it. Retrieved February 11, 2018 .