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It is without doubt that Filipinos are very religious. They have embraced
the Catholic faith as soon as the Spaniards have set foot in the Philippines
almost 500 years ago. And along with faith came the music of
worship.
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Church music in Spanish Philippines, as with the rest of Europe, was brought
alive with the Pipe Organ. It is believed that the Spanish missionaries
have brought with them organ builders from Spain or Mexico to build beautiful
pipe organs all over the archipelago, housed in the baroque churches in the
north to the far flung missionary settlements in the south. The pipe organ
is indeed an integral part of the history of Catholic faith in the Philippines.
It is estimated that the country had more than two hundred (a conservative
guess!) pipe organs built during the Spanish Colonization Period.
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Unfortunately, majority of these valuable instruments have deteriorated through
time. They have been neglected, and have been supplanted by modern musical
instruments like guitars and electronic organs. Out of the two hundred or
so Spanish-era pipe organs, only fourteen (14) are left. And out of these
fourteen historical organs, only three (3) are playable.
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Source:
George A. Miller. Interesting Manila, Revised Edition. Manila, E. C.
McCullough & Co., Inc., 1912 |
One goal of this web site is to educate the Filipinos, particularly the young,
of the importance of these instruments. With knowledge comes the
appreciation and the drive to preserve the remaining pipe organs in the
Philippines. We hope to restore these valuable Philippine pipe organs in
their historical glory for future generations of Filipinos.
Another goal is research -- we want
to to document all Philippine pipe organs, and trace their roots here in the
Philippines and other countries like Spain and Mexico. The builders of the
few remaining Spanish era pipe organs are unknown, except for the Las Piñas
Bamboo Organ, built by Fr. Diego Cera.
Contact Information
Cealwyn S. Tagle
- Telephone (+63 2) 801 2412
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- FAX (+63 2) 801 2412
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- Postal address
- Blk 2 Lot 15 Molave Street, Admiral Village, Talon, Las Piñas City 1747 PHILIPPINES
- Electronic mail
- cealwyn@yahoo.com
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