PONTEVICO (Italy) – Abbey church of St. Thomas

ABBEY CHURCH OF ST THOMAS

The church was built in the sixteenth century, before being rebuilt in neo-classical style in 1700.
It contains paintings by Grazio Cossali, Antonio Gandino and Angelo Paglia.

The Abbey Church of St. Thomas the Apostle was endowed in 1837 of an organ, with one keyboard and 1752 pipes, made by the brothers Serassi and located in a compartment on the right side of the presbytery.
The instrument that was later restored at the beginning of ‘900 by the firm Pedrini of Binanuova with replacing transmissions (from mechanical to pneumatic) and the partial amendment of the phonic disposition: the new instrument was inaugurated in 1939.
On 18 January 1959, a fire completely destroyed the organ and part of the building.

THE ORGAN

The new three manuals organ is placed on two opposing choirs overlooking the presbytery to ensure a better sound diffusion and an architectural symmetry of volumes.

On the right side is placed the main body of the instrument and the console, whose first two keyboards operate mechanically the Great Organ and the Positive; a third electrically operated keyboard the Recitativo positioned on opposite choir.
The pedal is placed on both sides and it also uses the electricity transmission for a wider use of sound resources.