Salò Cathedral Organ Restoration Sparks Concert Series and Cultural Revival
The organ of the Salò Cathedral has been restored, and the parish priest Monsignor Francesco Andreis has scheduled three concerts to showcase its sound and harmony. Tomorrow, Friday, July 20th, at 9 p.m., Maestro Giancarlo Parodi will perform. He holds a chair at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan and teaches at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome. He has recorded 37 LPs and CDs featuring pieces by J.S. Bach and composers from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. On Friday, July 27th, the duo Marino Bedetti (oboe) and Andrea Macinanti will perform. On Tuesday, August 14th, Gerardo Chimini will close the series. The organ, built between 1550 and 1581 by the Antegnati family and reassembled last century by the Serassi workshop, underwent restoration by the Inzoli-Bonizzi company of Crema.
Restoration of the Organ
“Of notable artistic and historical interest,” states the technical report, “the organ had also been compromised by tampering and improper interventions, which altered its original appearance. Additionally, the registers—including the chimes and, probably, the Great Bass—had been removed.”
“During disassembly, we noted a general lack of tuning and intonation, as well as a significant imbalance among the various sound components. Additionally, the damage caused by woodworms was substantial. The metal pipes had dents, crushes, and cuts. The bellows and wind channels had degraded considerably.”
Every part was removed, packed, and transported to the Ombriano workshop in Crema. Here, meticulous work was carried out. All brass tips and other metal parts of the windchests were desoldered, damaged leather replaced, bearing surfaces machined, the ventilator springs replaced, and an anti-woodworm treatment applied.
The pipes were washed, retouched (adding harmonic brakes similar to Viola pipes), straightened (the dents), renewed (the welds), checked (the mouth heights and holes), cleaned, and painted (using high-quality materials with a color similar to the original). The transmissions were lubricated, ties replaced, registrations and accessory controls reviewed, broken keyboard skids reconstructed, the pedal frame reinforced. All bellows were opened and cleaned.
Once restored, the organ was reassembled in the cathedral’s choir loft, housed within the ornate, gilded wooden case, crafted with exquisite workmanship, featuring doors dating back to Giovanni Giacomo Antegnati. The façade is composed of 51 tin pipes arranged within five bays. The total cost of the project was 250 million lira, with a portion (65 million) financed through contributions from the Italian Episcopal Conference, and the remainder from the inheritance of Miss Luciana Maffioli.
Someone asked the parish priest if it was appropriate to spend such a sum. Andreis responded: “The history of an organ is like that of a church, a home, a life. Famous names involved with this instrument include Megliarini, Fedrigotti, Antegnati, Cargnoni, Facchetti, Bianchetti, Maccarinelli, Pietro Bossi, and Chimeri.”
“The Cathedral has always attracted the interest and funds of private individuals and the public administration. In 1957, the Superintendence for Artistic and Cultural Heritage placed restrictions to protect it against illegal interventions. The work since 1987, initiated bravely by my predecessor, Monsignor Paolo Zanetti, has been enormous. The structure and roofs were reinforced, the bell tower repaired, all frescoes restored, wooden artworks and many paintings refreshed. And then the pews, chairs, confessionals…”
The parish priest is not standing still and looks ahead. “Even the altar and the ambo require our attention,” he emphasizes. “The greatest challenge is creating a piece suitable for the grandeur of the presbytery that, while fixed, can be moved in certain circumstances. We are solving the problem. On March 25, 2002, during the Feast of the Annunciation, we will inaugurate the bronze altar and ambo. The stained glass windows have been a Cinderella element in our planning. The restoration will cost another 200 million lira. We hope to rely on the generosity of benefactors.”
