Baclayon's pipe organ plays beautiful music.again

December 6 was a memorable day for the town of Baclayon not only because it was two days before the town’s fiesta, celebrated on December 8 in honor of their patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, but also because it was the day when a town gem will shine once more. It was the day when the Baclayon Church’s pipe organ will once again be heard playing beautiful melodies.

Baclayon is located six kilometers east of Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol. Its Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is considered one of the oldest stone churches in the country. It was built in 1727 by the Jesuits, using coral stone blocks from the sea and egg whites and plaster to cement the blocks together. There is an old convent next to the church which houses a museum filled with religious artifacts dating back to the 16th century.

Among the many treasures of the Baclayon church is its pipe organ, considered the third oldest pipe organ in the country. It was installed in the Baclayon Church choir loft in 1824. The pipe organ has the character of Spanish baroque-style organs and has similarities with the pipe organs of the towns of Loay, Loboc and Dimiao. It is believed that Spanish priests introduced pipe organ music to Baclayon and the art of pipe organ building from Spain and Mexico to local craftsmen.

There are no records of who built Baclayon’s pipe organ. But Cealwyn Tagle of Diego Cera Organbuilders Inc. believes that Fr. Diego Cera, builder of the Las Piñas Bamboo Organ, took part in the construction of the pipe organ in Baclayon since Fr. Cera was appointed as “prior vocal” to the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon in 1821. The organ in Baclayon was also noted to have similarities with the bamboo organ in Las Piñas and the pipe organ of the San Augustin Church in Intramuros, which was believed to have been constructed by Fr. Cera.

The pipe organ produces unique sounds. It can mimic the sound of birds though its little pajarillo pipes, gives enlivened melodies with the tinkling of cascabeles, an ornamental stop with bells on a wheel drum, and campanillas. It is said that the two sets of cascabeles were added two years after the pipe organ was installed. The tambor, or big wood pipes, are tuned to create a rumbling sound similar to a drum.

Baclayon’s pipe organ plays an important role in the town since it is believed that the establishment of liturgical choral and instrument music in the Baclayon Church started after the purchase of several music instruments and the building of the pipe organ. The musical instruments were said to have been acquired in 1820, the pipe organ was then installed, and the Misa Baclayona was completed in 1827. The organ has a “baroque pitch” or is tuned in at 415Hz, which was commonly used in Spain during the Baroque period. The baroque pitch is a semitone lower than the 440Hz pitch that modern musical instruments have.

The pipe organ was modified only once in 1902 but the changes were poorly made and these were mostly unnecessary. The pipe organ was eventually forgotten. Its wind chest pipes, beams and roof were covered in thick layers of dust. It lost some parts and fell into disrepair for several decades.

But the pipe organ, one of the treasures of Baclayon, was destined to play beautiful music again. This year, Patricia Zobel de Ayala and the Ayala Foundation Inc. worked for the restoration of Baclayon’s treasure and commissioned Diego Cera Organbuilders, Inc. to handle the restoration. The 2008 restoration involved extensive repair on the pipes, wind chests, manual keyboard, pedal and other accessories. Missing parts such as the two sets of trumpets and 14 sets of metal flute pipes were reconstructed and the organ’s pitch was adjusted to the standard 440Hz pitch. The pipe organ’s position at the choir loft was also adjusted. Prior to the restoration, the organ was located near the windows, compromising the safety of its parts during the rainy season.

And so it was, on the evening of December 6, 2008, that the Baclayon pipe organ once again played beautiful melodies through a concert that was dedicated to all the residents of Baclayon.

World-renowned composer and conductor Cristobal Halffter, a recipient of King Juan Carlos of Spain’s Gold Medal for Fine Arts, and his wife, pianist Maria Manuela Caro, who graduated with highest marks from the Superior Music Conservatory of Madrid, played classical music, Christmas tunes and Cebuano folk song Sa Kabukiran for the locals, guests and members of the Zobel de Ayala family who were there to witness the rebirth of the pipe organ.

Indeed, the Baclayon Church and its many treasures such as the pipe organ are a testament to the town’s heritage and artistry.