REQ: Sonus Paradisi Segovia Cathedral: Echevarria organ (1772) (HAUPTWERK)

The Segovia Cathedral organ was built by Joseph Echevarria in 1769-1772 on the north side of the quire (the Gospel side). It is his largest preserved instrument, and one of the largest organs from the baroque period preserved in Spain. The organ represents the climax of the Iberian organ building style. It was originally contracted with Pedro Echevarría, but was built by Joseph de Echevarría, because his father died soon after the work on the organ had begun. The gilded organ case was built by Juan Maurat. The importance of this particular instrument is attested by the sad fact that other major organs of the period (Sevilla, El Escorial, Palencia etc.) were drastically altered over the course of the centuries.

As is true for all old Spanish organs, Segovia is an organ with quite a narrow use. But for that particular use - the vast musical repertoire of the Spanish baroque - it is extraordinary for its rich stop list, range of sound colors and effects, and especially for its enormous echo possibilities. The organ has two facades, creating a pronounced echo effect when the Organo Mayor plays towards the listeners in the quire (the front facade of the instrument), while the Organo Respaldo sounds in the opposite direction from the quire into the side isle (so the listeners in the quire hear only reflections off the side vaults and walls). Several stops, namely the Flautat, Trompeta batalla and Duzaina, are mounted directly on the rear facade, providing the most distant tone to the audience and creating a dramatic contrast to the facade reeds of the Organo Mayor. The effect could hardly be greater. It is also worth noting that it was the Echevarria organ building family who used horizontal facade reeds for the first time in the world.