Pipe Organ Database

From a Piporg-L dicussion thread in January, 2005: The information I remember (if it be correct) is that it's a 5-manual, 202-rank Tamburini instrument. I have the specs somewhere in my archives, methinks; if there's further interest, yours truly will be glad to post/mail it. Sincerely yours, Alexander Zh. Damyanovich

I have been reading with interest the thread on the Tamburini instrument in the Auditorio Nacional and wanted to mention that E. Power Biggs recorded an LP on that organ. Featured on the Mexican Columbia LP: Andre Campra: Rigaudon; Adriano Banchieri: Dialogue; Jeremiah Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary; Claude Louis Balbastre: Noel "Josef est bien marie"; J.S. Bach: Chorale: "Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr"; Sigfrid Karg-Elert: "Lobet den Herrn" and "Nun danket alle Gott"; Charles-Marie Widor: Toccata from Symphony No. 5; Marcel Dupre: Variations on a Noel; and "Himno Nacional Mexicano" of Jaime Nuno. According to this LP the interior of the auditorium is immense!
Bonnie Beth Derby

I played this organ together with the Mexico City Symphony Orchestra in a series of performances of the 4 1/2 hour silent film NAPOLEON several years ago. The program was nearly a disaster as I discovered there is no (nada, zero!) maintenance on the organ. There was money found to buy and install it, but no funds ever allocated for maintenance . . . it had not been tuned since it was installed in 1958! I was able to find 13 playable ranks that were close enough in tune and with enough playing notes to be used - simply amazing and unique in all of my touring worldwide. Dennis James Silent Film Concerts

[Referencing a webspage no longer extant:] "...article originally written by Maestro Abraham Alvarado-Vargas for Caixa Expressiva, after about a decade of silence the organ was restored by 14 people (including a mountaineer flautist who worked suspended by harnesses) headed by Realejo Organeros Asociados over more than a year and was reinaugurated on October 26, 2000. The modern electronics in the console include a "self-diagnostic program." Daniel Muller Dallas

The size and rank count of the organ has variously been reported ranging from 198 to 250 ranks. It apparently sat for years without regular maintenance or being played.