In 2010 Chile will celebrate 200 years of independence, and the cathedral will take an important part of the festivities. For many years, Maria Elena Troncoso, the honorary curator of the cathedral museum, has hoped that the organ will be playable for this occasion. Unfortunately, it looks as if the only feasible option is the cheapest possible, so they are at present trying to put the organ into playing condition, using six voluntary workers.

In November 2007 Martin visited Santiago again to see how work was progressing, and to provide guidance. It is obvious that the organ needs a complete restoration, for there are splits in the chests as well as damage to the pipework which needs restoration from specialists. Nonetheless the organ works after a fashion, and a short concert by a young local organist, Jose Manuel Izquierdo, gave an idea of the wonderful sounds that a musician might get out of this instrument.

The contract for the organ on the gallery in Santiago Cathedral was signed on 1 st October 1847. It was built by B. Flight & Son. The firm of Flight was active from 1772 to around 1887, founded by Benjamin Flight senior (see http://www.cph.rcm.ac.uk/Genarchivenews.htm#Flight for a portrait of Flight at the Royal College of Music). His son, Benjamin junior, died in 1847, the year the contract was signed for Santiago Cathedral. The builder in charge of this organ would have been John Flight (c.1803 – 1890). The period of building saw a change of address, from 16 King William Street, Strand, up until 1848, and from 1849, to 36 St Martin's Lane, London. B. Flight & Son was the name the Flight firm used between 1841 and 1851.

Before leaving London the organ was exhibited ‘to the admiration of illustrious organists', including Philip Potter, professor of the Royal Academy of Music. It arrived at the port of Valparaiso on 5 th December 1849, and first played on Easter Day, 1850.

Apart a handful of later alterations and a few missing pipes, everything remains, including couplers, Tremulant and two drum pedals. It has been unplayable for some years. The cathedral has no money to restore it, so a group of volunteers has spent a year working on it so that it now does make some sounds. The Choir Stopped Diapason is very beautiful from anywhere in the cathedral. Unfortunately, the soundboards have splits, the Great ones very severe. To make any significant improvement from the present condition will involve removing the soundboards.

This is the most important historic organ in Chile. It could be more complete than any pre-1850 organ of this size in North America.

What to do next is open to discussion, but making this wonderful instrument known to as many people as possible seems to be a sensible start.

A CD of data is available from the builders. It includes some technical details and many pictures.