Cavaille-Coll's Monumental Organ Project for Saint Peter's, Rome

Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1811-1899) is often referred to as the greatest organ builder of all time. The pipe-organ, being the most complicated musical instrument mechanically and tonally, as well as the most expensive, adds significantly to that world's greatest designation. The talents required to be such a person range far from music-making to advanced physics, architecture, and engineering. That, plus the obvious knack to raise vast sums of money. Cavaillé-Coll's Monumental Organ Project for Saint Peter's, Rome: Bigger Than Them All, by Ronald Ebrecht, is the story of the quest to build the largest-ever mechanical-action organ in the biggest church at the time. Cavaillé-Coll's model for that organ and the book he wrote outlining his proposal are the core of Ebrecht's discussion. Cavaillé-Coll bestrode a century as well as an art-form. His century complicated the project with the most intricate, intractable problems. Saint-Peter's Square, now a part of the Vatican City State, was then part of the newly-united Italy, which had just deposed the pope as ruler of the center of Italy and taken the papal lands. The east end of the basilica facing the square and the Tiber became a much disputed boundary. It was a part of the Italian state so hotly contested that the Italian Republicans would not accept the concept of an organ hanged from the basilica wall, lest it shift. Before, or since, has the music sphere ever provoked such a question that could bring nations to swords?

“This is a very well-researched book about a spectacular and unfortunately not realized organ project. Illustrating the historical context, Ebrecht makes the reader understand the path to this terrific project and the reasons why it did not happen. An excellent reading that tells us a fascinating story of a genius organ builder and his time.”

In Mr. Ebrecht’s book we have the first exhaustively researched and documented account of a plan to build the world’s largest organ in the world’s most famous church. There is also a plethora of historic and relative information regarding organ builders, organists, venues, composers, and dignitaries in several countries during the mid-late 19th century. This book should be in every academic library, and anyone involved in teaching, studying, or simply learning about pipe organs will find it a fascinating as well as a significant read. -- Frederick Swann, University Organist and Artist Teacher of Organ, University of Redlands
Ronald Ebrecht’s book about the Cavaillé Coll Organ Project in Rome is a must for every pipe organ enthusiast, organ player, organ builder, and everyone interested in this monumental building. The story behind the vision of one of the greatest organ builders of the world, who conducted an organ project for one of the greatest church buildings of the world, gives insight to a previously unknown dimension. -- Philipp C.A. Klais, organbuilder and president of Orgelbau Klais, Bonn Germany
-- Stefan Stürzer, Managing Director, Glatter-Götz Orgelbau

Ronald Ebrecht is Artist in Residence and University Organist at Wesleyan University.

Aristide Cavaill

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