SW News: A 12th-century church organ is now the cynosure of all eyes in the Holy Land. Discovered by archeologists in the early years of the 20th century and guarded by the Franciscans in Jerusalem, this organ is in a unique state of preservation. Now, a noted historian and Middle Ages specialist is analyzing it to shed light on the development of church organs after the 10th century.

Spanish historian and researcher David Catalunya, who is a Doctor of Musicology, is studying the ancient church organ which was brought to the Holy Land by the French Crusaders. It was used in the Church of the Nativity for nearly 100 years until the invasion of Jerusalem by Muslims. The researcher credits its state of preservation to the fact that it was enclosed in a wooden box and buried underground to prevent it from being destroyed by invaders.
Catalunya, who is in Jerusalem, said there is the opportunity to understand much more about the origin of the church organ in the medieval era and its technology.

He will also study it in detail to replicate the instrument and unlock its music once again.

Pipe organs were incorporated into the Liturgy of the Latin Church in the 10th century and since then it has been an integral artefact of Western culture. However, until the rediscovery of the Jerusalem church organ, there had been not much material proof of the early evolution of organs in the Catholic Church before the 15th century. “This is very close to the origins of this musical and technological tradition. That is why it is so important to study and understand how the organ was introduced into the Church,” said Catalunya.

The ancient organ is being exhibited in the Terra Sancta Museum managed by the Franciscans and the Friars hope the five-year research of the musical artefact will eventually lead to its reconstruction.