Late medieval era Church music legacy preserved by rare organs

Couple of these musical organs, have been repaired and put to use, while few more are gathering dust waiting for expert hands to get them fixed.

Saint Ignatius Loyola Church at Rachol, 80 kms from here, still plays music through piped organs during Sunday masses.

Traditionally, the wind was blown through a pedestal board for this instrument while the organist plays with the keys. For the sake of convenience, at this Church, the conventional pedestal board has taken a backseat and wind is blown through an electric motor.

The organ is kept on the inside gallery just opposite the Altar of St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of Jesuit order.

Fr Mousinho Ataide, attached to Rachol Seminary, said that these instruments date back to 1880, and are perhaps few of the last remains of the wind blowing musical instruments, which are on the wane.

The organ at Rachol was gifted to the seminary by then Archbishop in late 1800s to this Church constructed in the medieval era.

Rachol seminary where the Church is housed is amongst the first churches built by the missionaries in Goa. The Church management concedes that the ageing musical organ has been a costly affair to maintain.

Ataide said that a person is specially called from London, periodically to upkeep this rare instrument.(MORE)