Seville Cathedral has taken a decisive step to secure the future of one of its greatest musical treasures: its historic choir organs . The Cathedral Chapter has formalized the signing of the contract that launches a long-awaited comprehensive restoration, conceived as a major undertaking from both an artistic and technical perspective.
This ambitious plan is not limited to a simple overhaul. The goal is to recover the essence of Aquilino Amezua's original project , the man responsible for the Romantic organ inaugurated in 1903, correct deficiencies accumulated over decades, and reinforce the cathedral's role as a European benchmark for organ heritage.
A restoration project without recent precedent
The Cathedral Chapter emphasizes that this is one of the most significant projects undertaken at the cathedral in recent decades. The restoration of the choir organs is considered strategic for preserving both the tangible heritage (pipes, cases, mechanisms) and the intangible heritage linked to liturgical music and the cathedral's concert activity.
The contract signed on May 8th establishes an approximate five-year period for continuous work . The project will encompass the entire organ ensemble, with a plan that combines traditional organ building techniques with updated technical studies and scientific criteria.
The initiative comes after it was determined that the partial repairs and restorations carried out in the 20th century, while important at the time, are no longer sufficient to guarantee optimal operation . Current technical deficiencies, especially regarding air supply and the wear and tear of certain components, necessitate a comprehensive overhaul.
The project has been carefully designed so that the cathedral can maintain its liturgical and musical activity during the process, so that the accompaniment of daily worship and sacred music programs are not interrupted beyond what is strictly necessary.
A legacy of more than five centuries of organs in the Cathedral of Seville
The organ history of Seville Cathedral dates back to the late 15th century and is marked by prominent names. For over 500 years, the cathedral has housed instruments of great importance in the European music scene . On the Gospel side, among others, were the organs of Friar Juan (1479), Francisco Ortiguez (1733), and ValentÃn Verdalonga (1831).
On the Epistle side, the organs of Maese Jors (1579) and Diego de OrÃo (1725) stand out, the latter already installed in the famous cases made by Pedro Duque Cornejo and Luis de Vilches . At the end of the 18th century, the organ of Jordi Bosch (1779) was added, considered at the time one of the best organs in Europe.
This magnificent instrument by Bosch was destroyed in 1888 when a nearby pillar collapsed , an event that profoundly marked the cathedral's musical history. The loss necessitated a complete redesign of the cathedral's organ ensemble.
It was at the dawn of the 20th century that the Basque organ builder Aquilino Amezua undertook a project that was innovative for the time: unifying both organs by means of an electrical connection between the cabinets, a system applied for the first time in Spain. From this work emerged the grand Romantic organ that exists today, inaugurated in 1903, which made Seville Cathedral a benchmark for organ symphonic music.
20th-century interventions and the need for comprehensive reform
Since the inauguration of the Romantic organ in Amezua, the instrument has undergone several significant interventions . In 1973, the company OrganerÃa Española undertook a major restoration, focused on updating the instrument after decades of intensive use.
Subsequently, beginning in 1996, the Grenzing workshop again worked on the organs, carrying out interventions that resulted in significant technical and sonic changes. During these phases, certain original elements were removed but carefully preserved by the Cathedral Chapter in its storerooms, awaiting future restoration plans.
Despite the efforts made over those decades, the instrument's current condition reveals problems that can no longer be resolved with simple maintenance. Among the main concerns are deficiencies in the wind system , wear and tear on the historic tubing, and the partial loss of Amezua's original sonic design.
The new restoration is intended to go beyond minor adjustments: it is a thorough reform that will allow the recovery of the identity of the romantic organ from 1903, the reintegration of the historical materials that are preserved, and the resolution of the technical aspects that have been hindering the functioning of the instrument.
From this perspective, the project addresses not only the physical conservation, but also the aesthetic and musical coherence of the ensemble, seeking to ensure that the final sound faithfully reflects the symphonic idea that Amezua conceived at the end of the 19th century.
International committee of experts and selection of workshops
To design the intervention, the Seville Cathedral Chapter established an international commission of specialists in historical and Romantic European organs. This group has been key both in defining the instrument's needs and in selecting the workshops responsible for the restoration.
Among the members of this commission are prominent figures in the European organ world: Thomas Ospital , organist of the Church of Saint-Eustache in Paris; Alvise Mason , first organist of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice ; and Óscar Candendo Zabala , organist and professor at the Esmuc (Escuela Superior de Música de Catalunya), as well as a scholar of Amezua's work . They are joined by organists and technicians directly associated with Seville Cathedral.
The committee analyzed in detail various proposals from workshops in France, Germany and Austria , valuing both the experience in organs of the 19th and 20th centuries and the ability to respect the original material and Amezua's aesthetic approach as much as possible.
Following this selection process, the commission has been awarded to a European consortium led by two French firms: SAS Michel Jurine , based in Rontalon, and Manufacture D'Orgues Muhleisen G. Walther et Associés , located in Eschau. Both firms have extensive experience in the restoration and construction of Romantic-era symphonic organs.
The coordinated work of these workshops will allow us to address in a comprehensive way both the mechanical and acoustic aspects as well as the details of carpentry, piping and wind systems, following an approach very close to the original techniques and parameters of the early 20th century.
Five years of artisanal and scientific work
The established roadmap for the restoration anticipates a five-year intervention period , during which meticulous workshop processes will be combined with on-site testing phases at Seville Cathedral. The plan is based on the utmost respect for the preserved material, complemented by compatible contemporary elements.
One of the project's key aspects will be the distribution of sound planes across the two organ cases, making use of a significant portion of the existing antique material. The aim is to take advantage of all four facades and the positive backs, optimizing the specialization of each section of the instrument.
The restoration and reuse of Amezua's pipe screens —the elements that regulate the airflow into the pipes— are also planned . Where necessary, new screens will be manufactured, always adhering to the same construction and manufacturing parameters used by the Basque organ builder.
Another key component will be a complete overhaul of the wind system. The project envisions redesigning the air supply by restoring and reusing the original Amezua reservoirs, with the aim of achieving the abundant and stable wind characteristic of a large symphonic organ.
To ensure this performance, the plan is to have at least one air reservoir for each sound plane , placed under the corresponding airlock. This aims to correct the current air supply problems, which affect both the stability of the sound and the instrument's response.
Restoration of the pipe and expressive elements
Restoring the historic pipes is one of the most delicate tasks. The plan involves meticulous work on the old pipes to restore them to their original characteristics, respecting lengths, timbre notches, and other details that decisively influence the organ's sound.
In addition, the restoration of the expressive positive section is planned , considered essential for the balance of a large symphonic instrument. This section, which allows for dynamic nuances and tonal contrasts, is key to successfully performing both liturgical repertoire and concert works.
The project also includes the creation of a solo keyboard , conceived as a tribute to and update of the "concertante" soundscape designed by Amezua. This keyboard will allow for greater versatility in performance and will enhance the organ's potential as a solo instrument.
A new resonance plane will also be incorporated , designed to enrich the overall sound projection of the ensemble. The aim is for the instrument to gain presence in the vast nave of the cathedral without losing finesse or balance between the different registers.
Regarding the back-firing soundboards, a judicious use is proposed in the form of movable sound planes . Some of these will be specifically designed to accompany the singing of the Cathedral Chapter during services in the choir, ensuring proper integration between voice and organ.
A synthesis between Spanish tradition and French symphonicism
From an aesthetic standpoint, the restoration aims for a sound that is both concise and faithful to Amezua's spirit . The proposal draws on a combination of Spanish and French symphonic traditions, with the organ's original materials as its undeniable foundation.
This approach reflects the very nature of the 1903 instrument, conceived at a time when the European Romantic organ sought a broad sonic palette, capable of encompassing everything from choral accompaniment to the great symphonic repertoire. The aim is to recapture that recognizable character that made the Seville Cathedral organ an internationally acclaimed instrument.
In this context, original materials from 1903 , which had been preserved in the Cabildo's storage facilities and were removed during later restorations, will be reintroduced. Their reintegration into the ensemble will help restore the instrument's original sound.
At the same time, the replacement and adjustment of defective technical elements —especially those related to the air supply— will eliminate the problems that currently diminish the organ's response, both in full register and in passages of greater subtlety.
All of this will be carried out under European heritage conservation criteria, with the aim of ensuring that the Seville organ remains a benchmark not only liturgical, but also artistic and musicological in the context of Spain and the rest of Europe.
Institutional endorsement and commitment to heritage
The restoration of the organs of Seville Cathedral has the approval of the Provincial Culture Commission of the Junta de AndalucÃa , which has authorized the project considering it compatible with the protection of the heritage asset and with the rules of intervention on historical monuments.
This institutional support complements the technical work of the expert committee, creating a framework in which rigorous conservation and the liturgical use of the instrument go hand in hand. The goal is for the restored organ to serve the daily life of the church and its musical programming for decades to come.
By signing the contract, the Cathedral Chapter reaffirms its commitment to excellence in the conservation of its heritage, both tangible and intangible. It is not simply a matter of preserving a historical object, but of ensuring that the cathedral's organ tradition remains alive and fully operational.
The intervention is therefore understood as a long-term investment in the cultural fabric of the city and of the Church itself in Seville, reinforcing the position of the cathedral as a reference point for sacred music in Spain and Europe.
When the work is completed, the choir organs of Seville Cathedral will have recovered their original design, overcome accumulated technical weaknesses, and will once again sound with the power, timbral richness, and personality that characterized them in their best times, thus consolidating a key chapter in the history of European organ heritage.