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PISTOIA PIPE ORGAN BUILDING TRADITION


PISTOIA PIPE ORGAN BUILDING TRADITION

By Fabio Bardelli

Organo Wilhelm  Hermans, 1664, Chiesa s 


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. Ignazio, Pistoia” width=”500″ height=”596″ /> Organo Wilhelm Hermans, 1664, Chiesa s. Ignazio, Pistoia

PISTOIA/ITALY: Pistoia has been nominated “Italian Capital of Culture” for the year 2017, and though a small town, it boasts an ancient pipe organ building tradition. For over one hundred and fifty years two authentic “dynasties” of organ builders worked in Pistoia, the Agati and Tronci families, passing the job from father to son. The work of an organ builder is, as you can well understand, halfway between craft and art, in fact no one in a musical field could reproach Antonio Stradivari to be only an artisan, his job was a real artistic one.

Organo Luigi e Cesare Tronci 1860, Chiesa della Madonna della Fontenuova, Monsummano T. (Pistoia)

Organo Luigi e Cesare Tronci 1860, Chiesa della Madonna della Fontenuova, Monsummano T. (Pistoia)

Organo Ravani-Agati-Tronci (1626-1890) Chiesa S. Bartolomeo, Cutigliano (Pistoia)

Organo Ravani-Agati-Tronci (1626-1890) Chiesa S. Bartolomeo, Cutigliano (Pistoia)

The oldest and most valuable instrument in town and that was constantly a source of inspiration for local builders is the historical 1664 organ by Wilhelm Hermans, a flemish Jesuit and organ builder
. This is the only one in Italy built by Hermans, together with the one of Collescipoli (Terni), come down to us virtually intact.

Organo Pietro Agati, 1764, Chiesa di Treppio (pistoia)

Organo Pietro Agati, 1764, Chiesa di Treppio (pistoia)

The characteristic of Pistoia organ building school is to insert, basing on this authentic monumentum the Hermans organ of the Church of S. Ignazio di Loyola in Pistoia, nordic features (that is the North European organ building schools) on a “basis” of Italian or Tuscan instrument with its typical registers. In other words the organ from a merely liturgical instrument begins to become, for the presence of more rich registers inspired to various instruments, a more important and almost a concert one, surely more complete in order to offer the organist further expressive possibilities although in a liturgical context.

Organo Hill, 1896, Chiesa san Francesco, Pistoia

Organo Hill, 1896, Chiesa san Francesco, Pistoia

Organo Luigi e Benedetto Tronci 1793, Cattedrale Pistoia

Organo Luigi e Benedetto Tronci 1793, Cattedrale Pistoia

Nothing like with the colossal organs of gothic cathedrals all over Europe, in fact Pistoia organs are generally small or rather small instruments, appropriate to the size of the churches that hoste them, but they are surely of a great quality. 

Organo B. Tronci, San Pier Maggiore seen from the upper part of the church (photo Fabio Bardelli)

Organo B. Tronci, San Pier Maggiore seen from the upper part of the church (photo Fabio Bardelli)

Organo San Pier Maggiore, Pistoia, Organo di San Pier Maggiore, the current shocking conditions of the three keyboards. Photo mirko urso gianluca cinquilli

Organo San Pier Maggiore, Pistoia, Organo di San Pier Maggiore, the current shocking conditions of the three keyboards. Photo mirko urso gianluca cinquilli

Many churches of the town suburb and province house old organs, and over the years there have also been acquisitions of instruments that are far from the Italian organ building style, such as the english Hill organ now housed in the Church of San Francesco, or some instruments built ex novo.

Organo Cacioli-Tronci, 1745, Chiesa dei SS. Propsero e Filippo, PISTOIA

Organo Cacioli-Tronci, 1745, Chiesa dei SS. Propsero e Filippo, PISTOIA

Organo Ghilardi, 2005, Chiesa di Larciano (Pistoia)

Organo Ghilardi, 2005, Chiesa di Larciano (Pistoia)

There are also old instruments that don’t come from Pistoia organ building school, and a lot that are the result of the collaboration among the two “dynasties” of Pistoia organ builders, Agati and Tronci families, who after many years of heated town rivalry towards the end of their activities were merged and cooperated for decades constructing instruments signed by both the names.

Organo Agati Tronci 1776-1856 Chiesa di Gavinana-Pistoia.

Organo Agati Tronci 1776-1856 Chiesa di Gavinana-Pistoia.

Both the families worked for Italy (and their instruments are also in various Italian cities outside of Tuscany) and also for abroad, many of Agati or Tronci organs are in fact in France, Israel and South America.

Many instruments have been restored even for the interest the work and foresight of the Accademia di Musica Italiana per Organo based in Pistoia, many others need a restoration.

Unfortunately, the most eminent Pistoia building school organ located in the town, a very great one built by Benedetto Tronci in 1815 for the Church of San Pier Maggiore provided by three keyboards two pedalboards and seventy-five registers, is in shocking conditions and needs a very urgent restoration and reintegration of the parts lost during the past two centuries.

Organo di San Pier Maggiore, the current shocking conditions of the three keyboards

Organo di San Pier Maggiore, the current shocking conditions of the three keyboards

Organo Benedetto Tronci, 1815, Chiesa San Pier  Maggiore

Organo Benedetto Tronci, 1815, Chiesa San Pier Maggiore

Also the semi-abandoned church in which this organ it is located needs an urgent restoration and at that point could become a real “music box”, an ideal concert hall.

We hope that soon could be found the way to add a very important piece to restored Pistoia’s artistic heritage.

By Fabio Bardelli

Please look at this interesting video about the Organ of the Church of San Pier Maggiore in Pistoia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCN1VuedO6Y

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