Restoring Orihuela’s baroque organ to its majestic splendour

The restoration of the organ at the Cathedral of El Salvador and Santa María de Orihuela is nearing completion.

The news comes nearly a year after the extensive restoration efforts began on this baroque masterpiece, which had seen little attention beyond tunings and minor repairs for over a century.

According to José Antonio Gea, dean of the Cathedral Chapter and current parish priest of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Torrevieja: “The undertaking has been nothing short of remarkable.”

Extensive Restoration

“For the first time in over a century, the organ’s secrets – the largest components housing all the tubes and regulating airflow – have been unveiled.”

Describing the restoration process as an “adventure,” the dean highlights the meticulous disassembly and cleaning of each of the organ’s 3,080 tubes.

Each piece was dismantled, categorised, and examined to facilitate the restoration of the original pipes and the installation of new components.

The instrument, boasting over 72 registers, a cascade, and a grand battle trumpet, has been carefully restored to its former glory.

Dating back to 1733, the organ is regarded as a masterpiece of 18th-century craftsmanship, comparable to a Stradivarius in the world of musical instruments.