Organo - Basilica di San Bernardino - L'Aquila, Italy
Posted by: 
denben
N 42° 21.011 E 013° 24.136
33T E 368405 N 4689893
The main organ of the Basilica of San Bernardino is a valuable pipe organ from the first half of the 18th century.
Waymark Code: WM1B9JF
Location: Abruzzo, Italy
Date Posted: 12/31/2024
Views: 1
"History
The construction of the organ was decided as part of the reconstruction of the Basilica of San Bernardino after the earthquake of 1703. The instrument was built by Feliciano Fedeli, of the homonymous family of organ builders from the Marche, who completed it in October 1726. The sound box that contains it, in carved and decorated wood, is from the same period, the work of Ferdinando Mosca and which is connected to the sumptuous wooden ceiling by the same artist.
The organ underwent restoration between 1914 and 1915 but remained unused in the following decades. In 1986 the author's cartouche was found in the mouth of a wooden pipe of the Principale; after an accurate philological reconstruction of the missing material, in 1992 it was then restored and put back into operation by the organ builders Glauco Ghilardi and Riccardo Lorenzini.
The instrument was not damaged by the 2009 earthquake that spared the facade of the basilica. However, it was restored and made usable again starting in 2015.
Description
The organ is located on the counter-facade wall of the Basilica of San Bernardino, placed in a brick choir with a curved front in Baroque style. This is in turn closed inside a sound box, in carved wood, decorated with numerous friezes; it is divided vertically into three fields, separated from each other by twisted pilasters surmounted by Corinthian capitals with floral decorations.
The front of the organ has 31 tin pipes divided in the following way: 17 in the central field, forming a cusp with ascending wings, and 7 in the lateral fields, forming a simple cusp. The trumpets are positioned at the base en chamade, that is, they are placed horizontally, a typical feature of French and Spanish organs and since the last century... also Italian ones. The console is under the front and has a keyboard of 53 keys and a pedal board of 11 pedals."
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Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: From 6:60 to 19:30
Sundays & Holidays: From 8:00 to 19:30