The organs of Granada Cathedral

The organ is a musical instrument that has always been closely linked to liturgical worship. Therefore, it is important to know the history and functionality of the organs in Granada Cathedral.

Would you like to discover the peculiarities of the organs in Granada Cathedral? Stay and read this article, we will show you everything you need to know below!

Author, date and location of the organs in Granada Cathedral

Inside the Cathedral of Granada we can observe the presence of 2 organs, both by Leonardo Fernández Dávila. The one on the Epistle side was finished in 1744 and the one on the Gospel side in 1749.

These splendid instruments have different musical characteristics and, since the middle of the 18th century, they have been located in tribunes formed by ornamented walls.

The organ cases of both organs are almost twinned in their facades and counter facades, gilded and polychromed. On them are sculptures of musical angels and a large standing angel playing the trumpet on an open pomegranate.

It should be noted that the acoustics of the church act as a magnificent sounding board for the instruments and, moreover, it is not possible to use them simultaneously in repertoire works for double organ due to their different elements of harmonisation, tuning, timbre and style.

Nevertheless, for the celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in 1894, given that the organs were in the same tuning, the mass was celebrated with the orchestra accompanied by the 2 organs.

Epistle-side organ

This instrument is Baroque in style and, together with Leonardo Fernández Dávila, it also had the participation of Jorge Bosch, organ builder to Kings Charles III and Charles IV.

This organ has a window console located on the façade with 3 keyboards, arranged in the following structure: major organ on the upper keyboard, echo cadereta on the middle keyboard and exterior cadereta on the lower keyboard.

The keys are made of wood, covered with ebony veneer for the natural keys and ivory for the stops. Likewise, its pipework has 45 flute pipes in the façade plus the battle trumpet, 40 flute pipes and 49 rear clarinets in the back façade.

This organ is mainly used for its own liturgical purposes and also for frequent concerts organised by the Cabildo or by different organisations in the city.

Gospel-side organ

For the construction of the organ on the gospel side, Leonardo Fernández Dávila was assisted by Jorge Bosch and José García. This organ, originally Iberian Baroque, has two 56-note manual keyboards and includes a 36-note pedalboard.

At the beginning of the 20th century, musical trends began to change, which led to a radical transformation of this organ in 1928, causing it to lose some of its original characteristics. In 1971, however, it underwent a further intervention which restored some of the original stops, such as the façade and the trumpeteria.

Concerts are often performed on this instrument and it is possible to play, albeit with some limitations, a large part of the organ literature of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Why visit Granada Cathedral?

As we have seen throughout this article on the organs of the Cathedral of Granada, this site is home to great works of art, such as its organs, which gave rise to the creation of a strong socio-economic nucleus. This was due to the appearance of different professions and guilds related to musical activity, such as organ builders, tuners, tuners, tuners, cabinetmakers and notchers, among others.

If you would like to visit this monument, do not hesitate to buy your tickets to the Cathedral of Granada through the official website of the Archdiocese of Granada. 

Enjoy the beauty and history of this temple!