Bamboo Organ

We went to a concert of the only Bamboo Organ in the world. It is in a little Catholic Parish Church in Las Pinas City in Southern Metro Manila. The organ was built by a Spanish Priest who was sent to the Philippines in the mid 1800's to build large organs for the many cathedrals. He build this organ in 1871 when he was assigned as the parish priest in Las Pinas. The organ was restored in 1972 and there is an annual Bamboo Organ Festival. The night we attended the guest organist was from the Czech Republic.

This group performed on Indonesian Bamboo Angklus before the concert. They are like a bamboo version of a handbell choir in that the various sizes are pitched. The bamboo pipes hang on a frame and are shaken to get the sound. I have uploaded a video at the bottom so you can hear the sound of the "choir". This group was from a local high school. There is a museum in the church annex that we toured before the concert. They have some of the old pipes and bellows from the restoration.

One of the old keyboards that was replaced in the restoration.

Inside the church looking up to the organ balcony.

The organ is located on the side to the back of the interior of the church.

The back of the organ showing some of the pipes.

This is a postcard I found showing a top view. The only non-bamboo pipes are the metals one you see which are the "trumpets". It takes three people to operate - one playing the keyboard and two on the sides operating the stops. It used to take more before electric bellows were added with the restoration.

One of the lovely ushers in a traditional "Spanish" costume.