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The Pistoiese organ: its origin and its evolutionby Umberto Pineschi

From the second half of the 18th century until the second decade of the 20th century an organ building scho-ol starts and develops in Pistoia. In the 19th century, the Pistoiese organ builders achieved the top position in Tuscany. Their organ organ includes the main features of the classical Italian organ as found in the organ building schools of Cortona (Cesare Romani) and Lucca (Ravani), but the infl uence of some colourful stops of the organs of Willem Hermans in Pistoia and Bernardino Azzolino della Ciaia in Pisa made it different, sometimes decisively, from all the other Italian schools. Moreover, we know exactly how this type or organ was used thanks to the very precise indications of re-gistration that at least four Pistoiese composers, namely Giuseppe Gherardeschi, Giovan Pietro Baldi, Luigi Gherardeschi and Gherardo Gherardeschi, attached to their pieces.

A. The Hermans organ in Pistoia and the Della Ciaia organ in Pisa

A Flemish organ builder, the Jesuit lay brother Willem Hermans (Thorn 1601 - Roma 1683), who, once arrived in Italy in 1635, called himself Guglielmo Ermanni, in 1664 built an organ for the church of his order in Pistoia, St. Ignatius of Loyola. The intrument encontered the greatest interest, being very different from the organs that were built in Pistoia and in the rest of Tuscany at that time. The difference was the equal balance betwen the Principale-Ripieno stops and the da concerto stops and also f a pedal stop. What was normal in the North European schools, was simply unknown in the Italian school generally speaking, where the organ essentially consisted in a Principale followed by a Ripieno, with more or less separated ranks, plus a single da concerto stop, usually a fl ute, or, excep-tionally, two da concerto stops, that is the sordine (a regal) or a second fl ute. The waving Voce umana was unknown or, at least, not used in Tuscany at that time. We give some details of the da concerto stops of the Hermans organ in Pi-stoia: the stopped fl ute has the same diameter as the Ottava stop, the Cornetto is placed immediately behind the façade Principale, the Voce Umana consists in a cone surmounted by a cylinder, with an adjustable fl ap on top (at the bottom of the picture , on the right side), while the Mosetto has the same shape, but without fl ap, and the resonators of the Trombe are of tin plated iron (second rank in the picture). The reeds of the Hermans organ are the oldest reeds among those still existing in Italy. The organs before Hermans in Pistoia had a pulldown only pedalboard, while in the Herman organ the pedalboard has also a Contrabbasso made of stopped wooden pipes. To note two accessories that will remain important also later on: the Timpano or Tamburo (kettle drum or simply drum), consisting in two 4’ wo-oden pipes purposelly out of tune so that their strong dissonance imitate the roll of kettledrums, and the Usignoli (nightingales), consisting in small pipes with their top dipped in a cup with water therefore gurgling to imitate the birdsong. This is the specifi cation:

Principale and Ripieno stops:Principale [8’]OttavaDecimaquintaDecimanonaVigesimasecondaVigesimasesta, nona e trigesimaterza

[Contrabbassi, stopped, for the pedal 16’]Accessories: Timpano (2 pipes), 2 Nightingales

Originally Hermans had planned also a Brustwerk, as shown not only by the front panel above the manual keyboard and by the large space left behind it, but especially by a tentative experi-ment for a small windchest (see the photo at right) for 45 notes as the main windchest. Later on, this carved board was used, crescent shaped, to hold the dummy pipes of the twin façade in the opposite balcony. Evidently, work in progress, Hermans had changed his mind, probably proba-bly because of the rush to return to Rome.

In 1738 the most spectacular achievement in the history of the Italian organ building, that is the 5 manual and 3 pedalboard organ of the Church of the Knights of St. Stephen in Pisa, was completed on a project by Bernardino Azzolino Della Ciaia (1671-1755). To realize his project,

“Di concerto stops (bass and treble divide between f’and g’):Voce Umana [4’ bass]Mosetto [8’ treble]Flauto [8’ stopped]Flautino [1’ bass]Flauto in XII [2’ 2/3 treble]Cornetto [4’, 2’ 2/3, 2’, 1’ 3/5 treble]Trombe basse [8’]Trombe soprane [8’]Voce Umana [4’ bass]Mosetto [8’ treble]

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Della Ciaia enlistes the well known organ builders mentioned in the following document. This document does not mention the names of the two Pistoiese brothers Antonio and Filippo Tronci, since they were only apprentices, but in 1758 they were appointed offi cial tuners, position covered later on by Benedetto and Luigi, Filippo’s sons, and fi nally by Filippo, Luigi’s son, who completely restored the instrument in 1838. From Della Ciaia’s Descrizione dell’organo terminato di fabbricarsi l’anno 1738, we learn many details:

The fi rst keyboard is placed above the others, placed in descending order and very close each other to easily concertate. It plays the organ ofn the second 14 stop windchest, whose façade is in front of the player, therefore below the great façade of the Gre-at. This fi rst keyboard, when registered, is played by the second keyboard that, by its own nature, plays the organs of the great windchest containing 29 stops and located at the top. The third keyboard plays the organ with 9 stops, placed at the top, at the same level, but to the right of the great windchest, therefore also behind the great façade, even if partially.The fourth keyboard plays the 10 stop organ placed to the left of the performer and serves also for the Echo. The fi fth keyboard is for the Saltero and should be pulled out. . [...] Tremulants, different drums with registration for battle, canaries, gooses and ducks, cuckoo [...]

Stops of the fi rst keyboardEight foot tin façade by Felice CiminoDoubled façadeOttava, Quintadecima, Decimanona, Ripieno of 3 stops, that is Vigesima seconda, Vigesima sesta, Vigesima nona, all by Felice CiminoFlauto in ottava, spruce, stopped, Director [Della Ciaia]’s measurements and project, Lorenzo Nelli’s workNazardo, Director [Della Ciaia]’s measurements, Filippo Testa’s workCornetto, the same as aboveFagotti and Oboe, Director’s invention and projectClarone by Filippo Testa, e Voce Umana by the DirectorTrombe by Filippo TestaBassi in the façade by CiminoStopped 16 foot Contrabassi by CiminoTamburo

Stops of the second keyboardEight foot tin façade by Domenico CacioliEight foot Traversiera by the sameSixteen foot Wood Director’s measurement and Nelli’s workTin reduplication of 16 foot by CacioliEight foot lead Principale by Filippo BasileReduplication of the Principale by RavaniEight foot lead Principale by Fabritio CiminoOttava by BasileOttava by CiminoReduplication of the Ottava by RavaniQuinta decima by BasileQuinta decima by CiminoReduplication by RavaniRipieno by Basile, that is Decima nona, Vigesima Seconda, Vigesima sesta, Vigesima nonaRipieno by Cimino, that is Decima nona, Vigesima seconda, Vigesima sesta, Vigesima nonaFagotti and Oboe by the DirectorFlauto in ottava, stopped, of chestnut, Director’s invention and project, made by Lorenzo NelliClarone and Monachelle, or Voci Umane by the DirectorFlue Duodecima by CacioliReduplication by CacioliEight foot Trombe by the DirectorBass of the Bombarda by the sameCanaries, Tamburo, Bassotti by Fabritio CiminoContrabassi, 16 foot, of cypress, by the Director

Stops of the third keyboardEight foot cypress Principale by Felice Cimino Reduplication of leadVoce languente with Reduplication or with Principale Flauto of four foot, taperedTapered Nazerdone with PrincipaleCornettone with Principale and Nazerdone, all by the aforemetioned CiminoCorni da Caccia and Trombette by the DirectorFlageletto Director’s measurementsVoce UmanaTremolo.

Stops of the fourth keyboardEight foot chimney Principale by Domenico CacioliOttava, Quintadecima, Decimanona, Ripieno, that is Vigesima seconda, Vigesima sesta, Vigesima nona.Nazardo with Principale, Cornetto with Principale and Nazardo, all by Cacioli.Regale by the DirectorBass of the Principale by the same

Fifth keyboard. Saltero.

The compasses of the keyboards and the pedalboards are unknown. In 1871, the organ was rebuilt to two manuals by Gian Battista De Lorenzi from Verona, in 1914 was reformed by the fi rm Giovanni Tamburini from Crema that enlarged and electrifi ed it in 1931.

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B. Phases in the evolution of thePistoiese organ

It is possible to roughly identify fi ve main periods both in organ building and in the composition for the organ, marked also by an increasing of the extension of the manual and pedal keyboards.

First period (ca. 1740-1760)

The organ has a single manual of 45 keys (C-c’’’ with short fi rst octave) and a pedalboard of eight keys (C-B short octave). This is the organ of the two Tronci brothers Antonio and Filippo, of Pietro Agati (1735-1806), fi rst apprentice with the Troncis and then pupil of Filippo Gatti, Bologna, and, before them, of another Pisto-iese organ builder, Giovanni Battista Pomposi, of which only an instrument is surviving, even without pipes, in San Antonino, Corsica, with this written inside the windchest:

Opera di Giovanni Battista Pomposi. Fece l’anno 1744 in Pistoia[Giovanni Battista Pomposi’s work. He made it in Pistoia the year 1744]

This is its specifi cation:

Principale [8’]Ottava realeDecimaquintaDecimanonaVigesimasecondaVoce UmanaFlagioletto

A signifi cant example of this fi rst period is the elegant organ of the church of santa Maria delle Grazie, known also as del letto [of the bed], in Pistoia. It was built in 1755 by the Tronci brothers Antonio (1704-1791) and Filippo (1717-1788), who re-used many Principale and Ripieno pipes of the previous organ, a 6 foot built in 1506 by Andrea di Nanni.This is it original specifi cation:

Principale [8’, doubled fom e’, with pipes almost all by Andrea di Nanni] Ottava [4’, entirely by Andrea di Nanni, with 27 pipes of the Principale 6’ from the former façade]Decimaquinta [2’]Decimanona [1’ 1/3]XXII-XXVI [1’- 2/3’]Flauto in ottava [4’]Terza di Cornetto [1’ 3/5, from e’; replaced by a Voce Umana 8’ in 19th century]Cornetto soprani [4’and 2’2/3, fom f’, on a slider added behind the windchest]Trombe basse [8’, up to f’ Fa3, on a slider added behind the windchest]Trombe soprane [8’, from f’, on a slider added behind the windchest][Contrabbassi 16’for the pedals, a short octave, always on]

Accessories: Timpano (two pipes), Tremulant.Sliderchest.

Second period (1760-1815)

From ca. 1760 onwards, the Cornetto and one or more reeds, according to the Hermans model, were added by the Troncis and the Agatis in their instruments to the traditional ripieno and the classic Italian di concerto stops, that is Flauto in ottava and the waving Voce umana. Indeed, perhaps this had already hap-pened in the organ built by Cacioli-Tronci in 1745 for the church of the SS. Prospero e Filippo in Pistoia, where there are 1. the Trombe, like in the Hermans organ of S. Ignazio, but they might have been added la-ter on, replacing an original Flauto in XII, 2. a stopped 8’ fl ute, but it might be a more recent modifi cation, since the windchest was made for a Flauto in ottava, because of a communication, then closed, in the fi rst octave between the Ottava and the Flauto channels, and the fi rst pipes of the stoppd fl ute are on added small windchest, and 3. the two Cornettos, but the are on sliders, perhaps a later addition, behind the windchest. The 1760 is, anyway, important, because that year Pietro Agati built the organ of the S. Vitale church in Pistoia, whose façade is substantially a copy, almost a statement of intent, of the Hermans organ of S. Ignazio. To the classical elements, that is the Ripieno with separate ranks, the Flauto in ottava and the waving Voce umana, new elements, that is a four rank Cornetto and the Trombe, were added. This is its specifi cation:

Manual of 45 keys (C-c’’’).

Pedalboard likely of 8 keys (C-B, short octave).

Stops (bass and treble divide between f’and g’):

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Principale 8’OttavaXVXIXXXIXXVIVoce Umana 8’

Flauto in ottava

Sliderchest.

Four years later, the same Agati brought additions, copied from Hermans, to the organ of the church of the Congregation of the Priests of the Holy Spirit. The Libro d’atti della venerabile Congregazione de’ reverendi preti secolari dello Spirito Santo (Archivio di Stato di Pistoia, Patrimonio Ecclesiastico , G. 171), l3 Septem-ber and 22 March 1764, reports that Pietro Agati added stops to an older organ. Later on, these additions were described in details in the Istanze e relazioni della Congregazione dei preti di S. Maria di Piazza on 19 Janua-ry 1782, when this congregation bought the organ (Archivio di Stato di Pistoia, Patrimonio Ecclesiastico, E. 267):

Old organ of eight stopsTin Principale with the fi rst basses in woodOttava of lead = Decima quinta = Decima nona = Vigesima seconda = Vigesima sesta = Vigesima nona = and Flauto in ottavaThe aforemetioned stops are by an ancient right-down professor, of a perfect metal not to be compared with modern metals.Additions made by Mr. AgatiTrombe basse = Trombe soprane = Voci umane a lingua [a reed] = Musetto = Cornetto primo = Cornetto secondo = Contrabbassi di legno di quattordici piedi con Tamburo e Usignoli [wooden Contrabbassi of 14’, with Drum and Nightingales] = Windchest made almost all new, with its trackers, pallets and completely new leathering.

The old organ (probably a 6’, up to a’’ without the last g, as il seems suggested by the pipes of the Flauto in ottava) had been made, in succession, by two organ builders, that is Giannino di Giusto Biancucci from Volterra, who started the construction in 1529, but could not complete it because he died two years afterwords, and Carlo di Sabatino from Cremona, but resident in Reggio, who in 1535 took on the job and completed it. In the Additions made by Mr. Agati it is specifi ed 1. that the Voci Umane are a lingua [litterally “tongue”, that is “reed”], a stop that later on will be called Violoncello to avoid misunderstanding with the fl ue undula-ting Voce umana, and 2. that the Cornetto is split in fi rst Cornetto (2’ 2/3) and second Cornetto 4’, 2’, 1’ 3/5). This the oldest known organ with a manual compass up to d’’’ instead than c’’’. In 1783 the instrument was sold to the parish of Lizzano Pistoiese on the Pistoiese Mountain. It is still there, disassembled and deprived of the reeds, except 11 resonators of the Trombe.

In 1773, Pietro Agati built the organ of the church of S. Stefano a Campi Bisenzio, a town between Florence and Prato, containing all the stops of this new tendency. In particulare, two 8’ fl utes, one open and the other stopped, not as an alternative to the Flauto in ottava. The division bass /treble is like in the Hermans organ of S. Ignazio, that is between g’and g’. This is the only known case of an organ by Pietro Agati with chromatic fi rst octave both for the manal and the pedalboard. This is its unusual specifi cation:

Manual of 51 keys (C-d’’’ with chromatic fi rst octave). Pull-down pedalboard of 17 keys (C-e with chromatic fi rst octave).

Stops:Principale Basso [8’, 5 wooden open pipes from C to e’ and 2 of tin in façade from F to f’; redoubled from c’ to f’]Principale Soprano [8’, redoubled from g’ to d’’’]Ottava [4’] Decima quinta [2’]Decima nona [1’ 1/3]Vigesima seconda [1’]Vigesima sesta, Vigesima nona [2/3’, 1/2’]

Contrabbassi al pedale [16’+8’+4’] Campanelli [a series of chromatic bells] soprani

Accessories: Timpano [three pipes], Usignoli, Tirapieno [which inserts all the stops from Ottava 4’ to Vigesima nona], Terza mano soprani [superoctave for the treble].Springchest.

The chronicles of the time report that the instrument was dedicated Tuesday 10th August 1773 with large approval of professors and connoisseurs of music and especially of Mr. Domenico Gherardeschi, famous or-ganist and choirmaster in Pistoia.

Flauto traverso Basso [8’]Flauto traverso Soprano [8’]Flauto in Selva Basso [8’] Flauto in Selva Soprano [8’]Flauto a becco Basso [4’, sharing the fi rst 10 pipes with the Ottava 4’]Flauto a becco Soprano [4’]Cornetto Basso Primo [4’, 2 2/3’]Cornetto Basso Secondo [1’ 3/5, 2’]Cornetto Soprano [4’, 2’ 2/3, 2’, 1’ 3/5]Voce umana [8’, from c’ to d’’’]Tromba Bassa [8’]Tromba Soprana [8’]Rinforso [sic, reinforcement] di Tromba SopranaClarone Basso [4’]Violoncello Bassi [4’] Mosetto Soprano [8’]

Trombe soprane 8’Trombe basse 8’Cornetto IV [on a slider added behind the windchest]

Contrabassi ai pedali in 16

(later on a small positive was inserted in the balustrade of the organ loft, consisting only in a Fisarmonica [accordion] soprani)

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The organ built by Pietro Agati (1780-82) for the parish church of S. Marcello Pistoiese offers an intere-sting specifi cation, more normal for that period (see the picture of the façade in this website):

Principale [8’, double from f’]Ottava [double from e’’]Decimaquinta [2’]XIX-XXIIXXVI-XXIXFlauto in selva [= metal stopped fl ute 8’] bassoFlauto in selva [= metal stopped fl ute 8’] sopranoVoce angelica [= open fl ute 8’] soprana

The literature follows the new situation. For instance, the Sonate da organo of Giuseppe Gherardeschi, 1787, are purposelly done for a manual up to d’’’ (47 keys), offering, nevertheless, the necessary variants for a performance also on organs with a manual up to c’’’ (45 keys). Apparently, a manual of 47 keys was, therefore, considered an innovation:

Since the present sonatas were made for an organ with the Dsol sopraccuto [d’’’], those passages [containing that note] should be modifi ed as indicated, following the directions [alphabet letters] not to confuse them.

The instrument built by Luigi (1754-1803) and Benedetto (1756-1821) Tronci in 1793 for the chapel of the Rucellai Villa, Campi Bisenzio, but now in the Cathedral of Pistoia, is a superb example of an organ of that time, beautifully preserved in its original state, mean tone temperament included:

Principale [8’] Ottava [4’]Decimaquinta [2’]Decimanona [1’ 2/3]XXII-XXVI [1’, 2/3’]Cornetto I [2’e 1’3/5, from f’]Cornetto II [2’2/3, from f’]Flauto in ottava [4’ from c] Voce languente [= Voce umana, 8’, from f’]

Accessories: Timpano [2 pipes], Usignoli [Nightingales].Sliderchest.

As late as 1797, once more Pietro Agati shows his dependence on the Hermans model in the organ of the church of S. Michele a Vignole (Quarrata, Pistoia) by dividing all its di concerto stops between f’e g’ like the Hermans at S. Ignazio. Principale, Ottava and Decimaquinta, though, divide between f’ and f’, but certainly because of a later intervention.

Manual of 47 keys (C-d’’’ with short fi rst octave). Pull-down pedalboard of 17 keys (C-g with short fi rst octave, all real notes).

Stops:*Trombe basse [8’] Trombe soprane [8’] Clarone basso [4’]Bombarda soprana [16’]Corno di bassetto [8’]*Violoncello basso [4’]*Mosetto soprano [8’]* Flautino basso [1’]Cornetto soprano [4’, 2’2/3, 2’ e 1’ 3/5]Voce umana soprana [8’]Campanelli sopraniContrabbassi [16’for the pedals]

Accessories: Timpano, Tirapieno, Polisire [= a free combination for adding, by depressing a pedal, prepared stops].Sliderchest.

Third period (ca. 1815-1840)

Three more keys were added to the manual keyboard, that, therefore, reached 50 keys (C-f’’’ with short fi rst octave), or even 62 keys (CC-f’’’, with short counteroctave). The pedalboard has now 10 keys (C-B, a short octave, plus E and A), or 12 real notes (C-B, a short octave, plus C, E, F, A), with a number of keys that varies from 12 to 17. Even if as exceptions, there are organs with two and also with three manuals, with two pedalboards, obviously inspired by the Dalla Ciaia organ in the Church of the Knights, Pisa. The quantity and the variety of the di concerto fl ue and reed stops even in small organs, are amazing. Undoubtely, the organ that Benedetto Tronci built in 1815 for the church of S. Pietro (known also as San Pier Maggiore) in Pistoia is the most famous example:

Flauto in VIII basso [4’]Flauto in VIII soprano [4’]Cornetto soprani [4’, 2’ 2/3, 2’ e 1’ 3/5]Voce umana [8’] sopraniTrombe [8’] basse Trombe [8’] soprane

Contrabbassi [16’+8’ for the pedals]

Principale basso [8’]Principale soprano [8’]Ottava bassa [4’]Ottava soprana [4’]Decimaquinta bassa [2’]Decimaquinta soprana [2’]XIX-XXII [1’ 1/3, 1’]XXVI-XXIX [2/3’, 1/2’]*Flauto in selva basso [8’]*Flauto in selva soprano [8’]Flauto in ottava basso [4’]Flauto in ottava soprano [4’]

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Principale basso [8’]Principale soprano [8’]Voce angelica soprani [8’]Piffera bassi [4’, ancia]Ottavino soprano [2’]Trombe basse [8’]Trombe soprane [8’]Clarone bassi [4’]Corno inglese soprani [16’]Violoncello bassi [4’, a reed]Piva soprani [8’, Covered Trom be on the board of the stop trackers]

Voce angelica soprani [8’]Flauto in ottava bassoFlauto in ottava sopraniNasardo soprani [2’ 2/3]Nasardo basso [1’ 1/3]Trombe soprane [8’, covered]

Trombe basse [8’, covered]

3 Manuals of 50 keys (C-f’’’, with short fi rst octave). Bassi and soprani divide between f’ and f’.2 Pedalboards: upper pedalboard of 15 keys (C-e, with short fi rst octave, plus f and a, only real notes); lower pedalboard of 8 keys (C-B, a short octave). [Grand’Organo, upper manual]:Principale basso [8’]Principale soprano [8’, doppio]Raddoppio Principale bassi [8’]Principale basso 16 piedi [form c, called Bor- done oon the board of the stop trackers]Principale soprano 16 piedi [wood]Ottava [4’]Decimaquinta [2’]Selquialtera [sic] bassi [2’ 2/3 e 1’ 3/5]Decimanona [1’ 1/3, double]XXII-XXVI-XXIX [1’, 2/3’, 1/2’]Cornetto soprani [4’, 1’ 3/5]Ottavino soprani [2’]Nasardo soprani [2’ 2/3]

Diplo-Fono [superoctave for the treble] Organo di Concerto [middle manual]:Flauto in ottava basso [4’]Flauto in ottava soprano [4’]Flauto in selva basso [8’, stopped]Flauto in selva soprano [8’, stopped]Flauto chinese soprani [5’1/3, tapered]Cornettone [1’3/5, from c]Nasardone basso [2’2/3]Nasardone soprano [5’1/3]Cornetto chinese soprani [16’ e 5’ 1/3, stopped]Fragelletto bassi [1’]

Piccol’Organo [lower manual]:Principale soprano 8’Principale basso 8’Ottava [4’]Decimaquinta [2’]Pieno di tre registri [XIX-XXII-XXVI]Cornettone [1’ 3/5, from c]Ottavino soprano [2’]

[Upper pedalboard, permanently coupled to the Grand’organo]: Contrabbassi [16’][Lower pedalboard, permanently coupled to the Piccol’organo] [?] Bassotti [8’?]

Accessories: 3 Timpanos, 2 Nightingales, another special effect (unknown), Ban-da, Tirapieno (only for the Grand’Organo), Polisire (only for the Grand’Organo), Swell box for the Piccol’Organo.Springchest for the Grand’organo; sliderchests for the other two organs; 2 wind-

chests for the 2 pedalboard stops.

This imposing work was funded by a priest musician of Pistoia, Giovan Pietro Baldi (1776-1835) and by his brother Anton Francesco. Giovan Pietro composed at least three pieces for this instrument, with very precise indications of registrations and of changes of manuals, precious hints to understand the purpose of this project. There are no indications of changes of pedalboard, but they are obvious, as related to the changes of the manuals. These pieces are a Sonata scritta per il grand’organo di S. Pietro di Pistoia (downloadable from www.accademiagherardeschi.it ), a Sonata per la Benedizione scritta per il grand’organo di S. Pietro di Pistoia 1815 and a second Domine Deus added to his Messa solenne a due voci con l’accompagnamento di varii strumenti da fi ato obligati e con organo di concerto, da eseguirsi dai signori dilettanti di Sammarcello del 1802, certainly to be performed on the S. Pietro’s organ.

The Sonata has the scheme of a Rossini’s symphony, with its typical crescendo repeated twice, built by be-ginning with both hands on the lowest manual, then climbing up to the middle manual, fi rst with the right hand and then with the left hand, and fi nally reaching, the same way, the upper manual. The score of the Sonata in-cludes the accompaniment, ad libitum, of two French horns, double-bass and trombone. Since the manuscript has no pedal part, our transcription for organ solo borrows the double-bass part for it. The organ is extraordinarily rich in fl utes of different shapes (stopped, chimney, tapered and open) and pitches (16’, 8’, 4’, and 1’, but also 5’ 1/3, 2’ 2/3, and 1’ 1/3). A special fl ute, the Voce angelica (= angel voice), was very popular with the Pistoiese builders. S. Pietro’s organ has three of them, one for each manual. Broad body as a fl ute, large mouth as a Principale, tuned in unison with the Princi pale, the Voce angelica, mainly used with the Prin-cipale to emphasize its singing quali ties in the treble, mixes very well with the pieno stops, as we can see in Bal-di’s Sonata.

Trombe basse [8’]Trombe soprane [8’]Clarone bassi [4’]Bombarda soprana [16’]Mosetto soprani [8’]Flautino basso [1’]Flauto a chemina soprani [8’]Voce angelica soprani [8’]Flautone basso [8’]Flauto in ottava basso [4’]Flauto in ottava soprano [4’]Fagotto bassi [16’]

Campanelli soprani

Console (above) and pedalboards (below). Photos taken in 1972.

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S. Pietro’organ aroused great admiration for a long time. Giuseppe Tigri praises it in his guide book of Pistoia, published in 1853, with these words: “The wonderful harmony of its three different levels, as the sweetness of its stops, places it among the fi nest [organs]”. Now, unfortunately, this masterwork is in a state of neglect. Only other two similar organs are known. The fi rst, built by the same Benedetto Tronci in 1820 for the church of S. Gaetano, Florence, is not in a playable conditions. The second, located in Gavinana, province of Pistoia, is an extension of a single manual organ by Cesare Romani from Cortona, made in succession by the Agatis and the Troncis. During its recent restoration, the wonderful original manuals of boxwood were set aside in a museum and replaced by a new console completely subverting the original order of the manuals, the same as in the organs of S. Pietro and S. Gaetano: the Grand’organo was moved from the top manual to the middle manual, the Organo di concerto from the middle manual to the bottom manual and the Piccol’organo from the bottom manual to the top manual. Not a single division was, therefore, left in its original position.

The organ built by Giosuè Agati (1770-1847) in 1817 for the parish church of S. Michele in Carmignano is a fi ne example of an organ with two manuals and two pedalboards:

2 Manuals of 50 keys (C-f’’’ with short fi rst octave). Bass and treble divide between f’ and f’.

2 Pedalboards: top pedalboard of 14 keys (C-B short octave, plus C E, F, A), lower pedalboard of 8 keys (C-B short octave).

[Grand’organo, top manual:]Principale basso [8’]Principale soprano [8’]OttavaDecimaquintaDecimanonaVigesimasecondaXXVI-XXIX [+XXXIII bass]Trombe soprane [8’]Trombe basse [8’]Cornetto III [4’, 2’ 2/3 and 1’ 3/5]Clarone bassi [4’]Ottavino soprano [2’]Flauto traverso basso [8’]Flauto traverso soprano [8’]Flauto in ottava [4’]Voce umana soprani [8’]Voce angelica soprani [8’]Decimino basso [1’]Nasardo soprano [2’ 2/3]Corni dolci soprani [16’, a fl ute with funnel shaped resonator]Oboe soprano [8’]

The organ of the parish church of S. Stefano, Serravalle Pistoiese, made by Giosuè Agati in 1822, is a

signifi cant example of the most common type of an organ of that period:

Manual of 50 keys (C-f’’’ with short fi rst octave). Bass and treble divide between f’ and f’.

Pedalboard of 10 keys (C-B short octave, plus E and A).

Stops (Stops (bassi and soprani divide between f’ and f’):

Principale soprano [8’, double from c’’ to b’’]Principale basso [8’]OttavaDecima quintaDecima nonaVentesima secondaVentesima sesta e [only in the bass] nonaCampanelli [soprani]

[Contrabbassi ai pedali 16’+8’]

Accessories: 2 Timpani, Usignoli, Banda, Tirapieno, Tira-Principale (disconnetted).

Sliderchest.

Fourth period (ca. 1840-1883)

The manual expands by two other keys, that is up to g’’’, or by other four keys, that is up to a’’’. The chro-matic fi rst octave becomes increasingly common, even if the short fi rst octave is still the rule. The manual

Trombe soprane [8’]Trombe basse [8’]Cornetto nei soprani [4’, 2’, 1’ 3/5]Nasardo soprano [2’ 2/3]Nasardo basso [1’ 1/3]Clarone nei bassi [4’]Ottavino soprani [2’]Decimino bassi [1/2’]Flauto in ottava [4’]Traversiere nei bassi [8’, stopped]Traversiere nei soprani [8’, stopped]Voce angelica soprani [8’]Corno da caccia soprani [16’, a fl ute with funnel shaped resonator, the same as Corni dolci,16’]Corno bassetto bassi [8’]Corno inglese soprani [16’, a reed with a double cone resonator]Cornetto cinese soprani [5’ 1/3, tapered]

[Eco, lower manual; the fi rst octave recall the corresponding keys of the second octave:]Principale [8’]Ottava [from c]Decimaquinta [from c]Nasardo [2’ 2/3, from c]Flauto in ottava [from c]Decimanona [+Vigesimaseconda only bass, from c]Violoncello Musetto [8’, from c]

[Top pedalboard, pull-down with the top manual]: [Contrabbassi 16’+8’][Lower pedalboard, without stops, pull-down with the lower pedalboard]

Accessories: Timpani (4 pipes), Usignoli, Swell box for the Eco.Sliderchests.

9

compass varies, thus, from 52 to 58 keys, that is from C to f’’’, or g’’’, or even a’’’, with only a single case of 66 keys (see below). The pedalboard varies from 12 to 18 keys, that is C-B (12 notes, a chromatic octave), or C-e (17 notes), or C-g

or even C-a, with short fi rst octave (17 or 18 notes), but only 12 real notes, made very few exceptions. Amazingly, the ancient practice of double and triple ranks for the Principale and the Ripeno survives up to this time. Here are the signifi cant specifi cations of two organs built by Filippo (2nd, 1795-1847) Tronci:

1. Cathedral of Montepulciano, 1840.

Manual of 66 keys (CC-a’’’) with short counteroctave. Bass and treble divide between c’ and c’.Pedalboard of 18 keys (C-a with short fi rst octave, only 12 real notes).

Principale basso [8’, from CC to FF always in, from GG in the façade)Principale soprano [8’, double from c’, triple form g’’]Ottava bassa [4’, from CC to BB always in]Ottava soprana [4’, double]Decima Quinta bassi [2’, double from c]Decima Quinta [2’ soprani, double]Decima Settima bassi [1’ 3/5]Decima Nona bassi [1’ 1/3]Decima Nona [1’ 1/3 soprani]Vigesima Seconda, Sesta e Nona bassi [1’, 2/3’, 1/2’]Vigesima Seconda, Sesta e Nona [soprani] [1’, 2/3’, 1/2’]Ripieno di tre registri bassi [2/3’, 1/4’ and 1/3’]Ripieno di tre registri [soprani 2/3’, 1/4’ e 1/3’][Empty, for a stop in the bass][Empty, for a stop in the treble][Contrabbassi 16’+8’ for the pedals, always in]

Accessories: 2 Timpani (3 pipes each), Tirapieno, Polisire. Springchest.

All the stops fo the manual keyboard are divided, or could be divided, in bass and treble. This applies also to the Ripieno stops (XV, XIX, XXII-VI-IX) that have two sliders, one on each side of the rank. One of them has nails only to engage the needles opening the pallets from CC to c’ (bass), while the other has 66 nails, that is one for each needle, instead for the needles only from c’ to a’’’ (treble), as one would expect. Impossible to know whether this peculiar situation is due to an original idea of the builder or to a later modifi cation.

2. Church of S. Bartolomeo, Pistoia, 1844. The organ was originally placed on the back gallery on the main door of the church. Both organ and gallery were removed in 1958, due to renovations of the church. Two years later the organ case and the gallery, both of carved abete di Moscovia [red spruce], were burned. Winchests, trachers, bellows, console and pipes were preserved and restored in 1974. The organ, though, was not put in its place, but on the fl oor of the church, in a new spruce case, deliberately unadorned, since it had to be only temporary, waiting for the organ to to be placed back in its original position .

Manual of 58 keys (C-a’’’) with short fi rst octave. Bassi and soprani divide between f’ and f’.Pedalboard of 18 keys (C-a with short fi rst octave, only 12 real notes).

Trombe basse [8’]Trombe soprane [8’]Clarone bassi [4’]Fagotto bassi [16’, with cylindrical wooden resonator]Corno inglese soprano [16’]Cornettone bassi [1’ 1/3 e 4/5’, breaks at c, placed before the front pipes]Cornetto soprano [4’, 2’ 2/3, 2’ e 1’ 3/5; placed before the front pipes]Ottavino soprani [2’]Nasardo soprani [5’ 1/3]Voce angelica soprani [8’]Flauto d’abete bassi [4’, stopped, breaks at c]Flauto d’abete soprani [8’, stopped]Cornetto cinese soprani [16’ e 5’ 1/3, stopped]Corni dolci soprani [8’]Diplo-Fono [octave coupler for the treble]

Accessories: Timpano (6 pipes), Banda (the drum is missing), Tirapieno, Polisire..

Springchest.

Trombe basse [8’]Trombe soprane [8’]Clarone [bassi 4’]Bombarda soprana [16’]Corni dolci [soprani 16’, in façade from f’ to f’’’]Voce angelica soprani [8’]Nasardo soprano [5’ 1/3]Flauto in ottava basso [4’, from C, sharing the pipes with the Ottava 4’ up to b]Flauto in ottava soprano [4’]Flautino bassi [1’]Ottavino soprani [2’]Cornettone basso [2’ 2/3, 1’ 3/5; CC-BB 2’ 2/3, 1’ 3/5; placed before the front pipes]Cornetto soprano [4’, 2’ 2/3, 2’ and 1’ 3/5; placed before the front pipes]Trombe ai pedali [8’]Bassi in XVII [wood, for the pedals, 3’ 1/5]Bassi in XIX [wood, for the pedals, 5’ 1/3]

Principale 16 piedi basso [from c]Principale 16 piedi sopranoPrincipale 8 piedi bassoPrincipale 8 piedi soprano [double from a’]Ottava bassa [4’]Ottava soprana [4’]Decima quinta [2’]Decima settima bassi [1’ 3/5]Decima nona [1’ 1/3]Vigesima seconda e sesta [1’, 2/3’]Vigesima nona, Trigesima terza e sestaFlauto in ottava basso [4’, from c, sharing the pipes with the Ottava bassi up to g]Flauto in ottava soprano [4’]Trombe di rinforzo [16’ for the pedals]Contrabbassi [16’+8’+8’, for the pedals]

The façade as it appeared until 1962

10

The Cornetto and Cornettone stops of the cathedral of Montepulciano and of the church of S. Bartolomeo, Pistoia, are spectacular both visually and, especially, phonically, with their tin pipes in plain sight and with an imposing presence of their sound. These stops are not found in other builders and seldom used by the Troncis themselves. Also the Agati family, with Nicomede (1796-1885) is very active with perfect intruments. Both the Troncis and the Agatis built organ not only for Tuscany and Italy, but also for other countries even outside Europe (Middle East and Southern America).

Fifth period (1883 to 1918)

In 1883 Luigi, Nicomede Agati’s nephew and the only possible successor of Nicomede, died. The same year, Nicomede, who was already 87, gave his factory to the Tronci company, that, therefore, assumed the name Agati-Tronci, but with Filippo [3rd] Tronci (1849-1918) as «the sole proprietor», as proudly announced by the label glued inside the windchest or at the center of the console of each intrument that he built since then. In 1916, however, the company failed. That, but especially the subsequent Filippo’s death, put an end to the history of the Pistoiese school of organ building, since none of the family proved to be able to resume and properly carry on this tradition, also because, at that point, the Troncis thought it better to decide to devote themselves to the construction of cymbals, founding a company in 1931, now world famous under the name UFIP. But this is a completely different story. The instruments of this last period have a manual compass of 56 keys, probably infl uenced by Germany. Certainly the increasing use by Filippo of purchased material from the German company Laukhuff is not a coincidence. The Ripieno, with few exceptions, has no separated ranks any more, since they are grouped in a single stop starting with the 19th (Decimanona). The divided stops tends to disappear in favor of entire stops. Therefore even the Cornetto, for which the Pistoiese school had become famous, becomes increasingly rare, disappearing completely after 1900. More and more present, from the same time, 8 foot string stops like Viola, Dulciana and Salicionale. We give four different examples of specifi cations. From them, one can see how, in only about 15 years, a centuries-old Italian and, in particular, Tuscan tradition, was rapidly abandoned. Probably it was the last attempts by the Pistoiese builders to follow the European trends, newly discovered in Italy. The organists, especially under Marco Enrico Bossi’s infl uence, in fact, could not care less about traditions any more, eager instead to have instruments to perform the great German and French organ literature of the 18th and 19th cen-turies.

1. Church of the Visitation Nunnery, Pistoia, 1891

Manual of 56 keys (C-g’’’).Pedalboard of 12 keys C-B).

Stops (bassi and soprani divide between e’ and f’):

Trombe nei bassi [8’]Trombe nei soprani [8’]Corno inglese nei soprani [16’]Cornetto cinese soprano [5’ 1/3]Voce angelica nei soprani [8’]Voce umana nei soprani [8’]

Accessories: Timpano, Tirapieno, Polisire, Tremolo.Springchest.

This organ, always admired for the beauty of its sound, as an intact evidence of the great Agati-Tronci skill, fortunately was our for used regularly is it and restored recently Vespri d’Organo.

2. Church of S. Bartolomeo, Cutigliano. Agati-Tronci, around 1890-95. Not only the case, but also the Ripieno and the fl ute pipes of the Ravani organ of 1626 were reused, which probably explains such a late reappearance of the short fi rst octave.

Manual of 52 keys (C-g’’’ with short fi rst octave).Pull-down pedalboard of 17 keys (C-G with short fi rst octave, only 12 real notes).

Stops (bassi and soprani divide between e’ and f’):Campanette [bells] soprani Principale Basso [8’]Trombe Basse [8’ Principale Soprano [8’]Trombe Soprane [8’] Ottava Bassa [4’]Clarone nei bassi [4’ Ottava Soprana [4’]Corno inglese soprani [16’] Decimaquinta [2’]

Principale nei bassi [8’]Principale nei soprani [8’]Ottava nei bassi [4’]Ottava nei soprani [4’]Decima quinta [2’]XIX-XXII [1’ 1/3, 1’]Flauto in ottava nei bassi [4’]Flauto in ottava nei soprani [4’]

Contrabassi ai pedali [16’]

11

Nasardo soprano [Cornetto cinese, 5’ 1/3] XIX-XXII-XXVI-XXIXFlauto in ottava [4’] Voce angelica [8’] sopraniViola nei bassi [4’] Cornetto [4’, 2’ 2/3] nei sopraniTromboni nei pedali [8’] Ottavino soprani [2’]Contrabbassi [16’] for the pedals [always in]

Accessories: Timpano, Tirapieno, Polisire, Terza Mano.Sliderchest.

3. Parish church of Capezzano Pianore, Lucca, 1895.

2 Manuals of 56 keys (C-g’’’).Pedalboard of 20 keys (C-f).

First manual:Principale di 16’Principale di 8’Bordone di 8’Dulciana 8’OttavaDecimaquintaRipieno [XIX-XXII-XXVI-XXIX]Trombe 8 piediClomorno-Clarino 16’ [from c]Violone 8’Viola 4’Cornetto [4’, 2’ 2/3, 2’ and 1’ 3/5, from c]Ottavino 2’Flauto 4’Unda maris 8’ [from c, Dulciana size]

Pedaliera:Contrabbassi di 16’Bassi di 8’Quintatone [5’ 1/3, 4’]Bombarde 16’ Accessories: Timpano, Terza mano, Tirapieno seconda tastiera, Bombarde al pedale, Riunione delle tastiere [II-I], Espressione, Banda, Tirapieno [fi rst manual], Polisire, Unione primo manuale al pedale [I-Ped.].Sliderchests.

4. Concattedrale of S. Antimo, Piombino, Leghorn, 1911

2 Manuals of 56 keys (C-g’’’).Pedalboard of 27 keys (C-d’).

Grand’Organo:Principale 16’ (from c)Principale 8’Ottava 4’Decimaquinta 2’Pieno III-IVBordone 8’Flauto 4’Viola 8’Unda maris 8’ (from c’)Tromba 8’

Pedale:Contrabbassi 16’Basso 8’Violone 8’

Couplers: II-I, II-Ped., I-Ped., Suboctave II-I, Superoctave I.

Second manual (in a swell box):Principale 8’OttavaOttavino [actually a XV]Ripieno [XIX-XXII-XXVI-XXIX]Salicionale 8’Fagotto-Oboe 8’Viola di 8’Viola di 4’Flauto in ottava [4’]Flauto in quinta [2’ 2/3]Tremolo

Espressivo:Principale 8’Ottava 4’Pieno IIIFlauto 4’Salicionale 8’ (from c)Celeste 8 (from c)Oboè 8’