Tomás de Inés Ortega was a pupil of the organbuilder from Cuenca Julián de la Orden and uncle of the master Leandro Garci-Martín. He had taken part in the construction of the two organs built by Julián de la Orden in the cathedral of Málaga during the period 1778-1783.
The organ in Antequera is the bigest one being constructed by Tomás de Inés Ortega. It copied the plans developed at the organs in Malaga cathedral but in a more simple way. That is specially evident in the manner of construction of the pipes and in its delicate intonation. The construction of the keyboards and mechanical parts is also inspired in those of Málaga. The inspiration is clear, above all, in the disposition of the two windchests for the double, inner and outer, positives. They are operated by means of knee devices.
Even if the pipes of the main organ were very damaged, the original structure of the instrument had not been modified, except for the change of a mixtur on the positiv to add a vox humana of 16’. This change was probably made by Domingo Florenzano in 1900.
The organ has two keyboards with 51 keys (C-d’’’) and a pedalboard of 12 notes (C-H), sounding permanently, without any stop or tirasse.
In front of this instrument, another more little organ also exists. It has almost no pipes and it is not restored. It is signed by Rafael Pérez Gutierrez y Rafael Pérez Sabroso in 1824.
Nevertheless, all the preserved elements of this organ seem to correspond to an instrument from the begining of the 18th century and not from the 19th century.
In fact, in 1824, the same organbuilders leave also an inscription on the main organ, indicating that the organ was “put into this tribune”. Both inscriptions seem to indicate that both organs were desmanteled and transferred to this church, probably from the all colegiate church.
|
