This post features the San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya organ stamp from from Mexico in 2013. Organ stamps are fairly common and a great resource into their variety is the Pipe Organs of the World on Postage Stamps blog by Michael R. Barker. For example, you can see other articles on this site about organs on stamps from Austria, France, Germany, and Belgium, among others.
This stamp is part of a set of six featuring historic organs of Oaxaca. Indeed, the set is actually a tribute to the work of the IOHIO (Institute of Historic Organs in Oaxaca). This organization, chiefly, restores and preserves historic instruments in Oaxaca. Of particular interest to stamp collectors, the organization is housed in the Oaxaca Philatelic Museum (MUFI). This is the third article about the Oaxacan organ stamps. Read Part One and Part Two.
The stamps are the design of Sergio Barranca and M. Cristina Anguiano using the photographs of D. Hillbert. The range in price from 7 Mexican pesos to 13.50.
Oaxacan Organs, Scott Number MX 2858a-f
Oaxacan Organs
An excellent resource about the importance of Oaxacan organs (and these specifically) is this article by David Warren Steel that I highly recommend. I want to quote his opening paragraph to add some important description:
“The state of Oaxaca is one of the most culturally diverse in all Mexico; it is also one of the richest repositories of historic pipe organs in the New World: some 65 organs have been identified, nearly all in a distinctive regional style, with some instruments dating back to 1690 or earlier. While most are in various states of deterioration, and some are clearly endangered, seven have been restored in recent years to playing condition.”
Musically, the organs in Oaxaca are special and I will quote steel again:
“The musical resources of these organs are modeled on those of Spanish organs in the 17th century. Oaxacan organs have a single manual, and no pedal keyboard. The keyboard is recessed in a rectangular “window” in the case; up till around 1850, this consisted of 45 keys, or four octaves, from C to c”’ with short octave in the bass. The organ is divided between middle C and C-sharp: stops are drawn separately above and below this dividing point. In fact, on most Oaxacan organs, the selection of stops varies from treble to bass, with some stops available only in one hand. Pitch is low, around A=392 Hz.”
The Church
The Domincan Church of San Jerónimo at Tlacochahuaya is a small baroque stone building dating from the 16th century. The exterior is rather simple and it hides a single nave inside. However, inside it is rather spectacular for a small church. Firstly, all of the surfaces have paintings, some original, others from the 17th and 18th centuries. Additionally, the ceiling painting is especially famous. Under the direction of the Dominicans, the mural painters were local native peoples. Learn more about this wonderful little church at this site.
Mexico, 2013
Scott Numer MX 2858
The San Jerónimo Organ
The following information about the organ is from the IOHIO website. The wonderfully baroque organ, for instance, has a highly decorative case. The case sits nearly 12 feet high and painting and gilding cover the surfaces, even of the pipes. The instrument is by an unknown maker and dates to before 1735. The ornate baroque case sits nearly 12 feet high. It has the historic pitch of a=392. It has a 45 note single manual keyboard. The restoration of the instrument is by Susan Tattershall. The case restoration was by Mireya Olvera; funded by the Pichiquequiti Foundation.
DISPOSITION
Left hand: 21 notes C-c’ with a short octave
1.Flautado 4´
2.Bajoncillo 4´
3.Octava 2´
4.Quincena 1´
5.Diecinovena 2/3´
6.Veintidocena 1/2´- Quincena 2° 1´*
7.Bardón 8´
Right hand: 24 notes c#’-c’’’
1.Clarin 8´
2.Flautado 4´
3.Octava 1° 2´
4.Docena 1 1/3´ – Quinta 2 2/3´*
5.Flautado 2° 4´
6.Octava 2° 2´
7.Bardón 8´
8.Pajaritos
*repetition
The following video features the organ from the church, but it also shows some of the fantastic paintings inside.
