Problem is...the Goths did not build "Gothic" cathedrals. The Goths did
build but in the late Roman/early Byzantine or early Romanesque style
depending on tribal group and location. The style of architecture we refer
to as "Gothic" is French in origin and though I have forgotten the
delightful details, it has a definite starting point and first architect. Is
not St. Denis one of the first buildings in this style? 

Some of the earliest buildings in this style did have organs of one sort or
another and we can assume that they resembled in appearance the surviving
examples of late Gothic organ cases and that the smaller organs resembled
those in Medieval iconography. 

As to the matter of whether the ancient Gothic kingdoms (that of Theodoric
in Italy and the Visigothic Kingdom in Spain, Aquitaine and Provence)
enjoyed the delights of the hydraulis or bellows winded organs of the later
Byzantine or Arab type we can only speculate.

Cheers,

Carl Schwartz 



On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 05:56:01 -0700, M Fox <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>The most-nearly Gothic case in a Gothic cathedral that I can think of is
>Amiens. The cathedral was mostly built from 1220-1270 (and in many ways it
>is the most completely spectacular of the French cathedrals) and the organ
>case dates from 1429. I'm neither architect nor art historian, but it looks
>thoroughly medieval to me with its flat pipe displays -- not a hint of any
>Renaissance perspective.
>
>And worth a visit (though I haven't heard the organ that now lives in the
>case.)
>
>Michael Fox
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Raymond E. Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
>> Most Gothic cathedrals and churches house organs whose cases are either
>> (a) of their own era (Baroque, Romantic, 20th-century); (b) so Neo-Gothic
>> that the effect is very 19th-cent.
>
>> Problem is, the Goths didn't have organs.
>
>> So what's an organ case in a Gothic building that actually looks like it
>> was always there? It's hard to think of even one!
>
>> Even this hypothetical one
>
>> http://www.ondamar.demon.co.uk/dream/photos/gothic4.jpg
>
>> doesn't work.? Doesn't "reach for the sky."? And the rose window would be
>> completely covered.
>> So what's an organ case, in a Gothic (not Neo-Gothic) building, that
>> actually looks like it goes with the church?
>
>::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
>Note:  opinions  expressed on PIPORG-L are those of the  individual con-
>tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
>versity at Albany.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
>[log in to unmask]  saying  GET LSVCMMDS.TXT  or see  the  web
>page at http://www.albany.edu/piporg-l/lsvcmmds.html .
>::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
>=========================================================================

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Note:  opinions  expressed on PIPORG-L are those of the  individual con-
tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
versity at Albany.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
[log in to unmask]  saying  GET LSVCMMDS.TXT  or see  the  web
page at http://www.albany.edu/piporg-l/lsvcmmds.html .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::