Organs in Spain

[Bachman2010@jasnet]

Hi everyone.
I'm a 16 year old organ student and I'm traveling to Spain over spring break with my spanish class. We are visiting a couple of cathedrals.

1. Seville Cathedral
2. Barcelona Cathedral
3. La Sangrada Familia (no organ.. yet...)

Of the first two cathedrals, any suggestions on how to get to play the organs??? I would LOVE to play them, as I'm sure lots of people are. I just didn't know if something like that is even possible.
All help is great!!

Thanks
Colin

[musicalis]

Hi
When I was less than 15 years old, I went to England and asked to play a very beautifull organ in an englican church (I am catholic). The organist agree and let me play many hours.
Just do the same in Spain.

[Krummhorn]

Hi Colin ... and welcome to MIMF, too

You might try communicating in advance with these cathedrals - look them up on the web and try to find a contact point before actually arriving in Spain.

Although, in general, there are a plethora of accessible organs, some cathedrals or churches have very strict policies about 'who' gets to play the organ ... but with advance arrangements, anything could be possible.

[Flute'n'Pedal]

Hi Colin,

You might increase your chances of success if you write/talk to the church personnel in Spanish, as I'm sure you can.

LlL

[methodistgirl]

You are so right Krommhorn. My church has rules like that. I was lucky
to play from july to last christmas. They don't let just everybody play it.
I even fixed one of the buttons to the stops.
judy tooley

[aat]

In princible there is no problem at all. Just a few words with the "cura" and in many ocasions they handed over the keys. In big cathedrals i just waited at "the little door" for the organist to come (in Santiago de Compostela) and after introducing yourself you can come up with them. In León in northern spain i got the keys and it took me 20 min. to find the organ!! Had to go first outside again and there was the door. The organ was 350 years old...1 manual and no pedal...It was fun!!
Regards Aat (Marbella, Spain)

[dll927]

Methodist girl -- I'm curious as to what you mean by "fixed one of the buttons to the stops".

I take that to mean you changed a piston (which is what those "buttons" are called). Unless the organ has multiple levels for the pistons, as quite a few nowadays do, changing a piston can be a sure way of having the organist tell you "never again"!!.

It's just one of those things than the regular organist can be quite touchy about, since it might bring a big surprise at the wrong time.