La tutela della ‘firma acustica’ nel restauro degli organi storici

PROTECTING THE "ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE" IN THE RESTORATION OF HISTORIC ORGANS The restoration of historic pipe organs is one of the most challenging fields within cultural heritage conservation, particularly about the preservation of their sound heritage. This paper examines the concept of the acoustic signature, understood as the distinctive timbral identity of an individual instrument. Such an identity is often neglected or altered during restoration interventions. Through an analysis of current scholarship and of the principal historiographical and methodological approaches, the study highlights the limitations of prevailing restoration practices. It also proposes an operational framework aimed at preserving existing sonic characteristics and at establishing a dedicated acoustic archive. The paper argues for the systematic integration of acoustic surveys into restoration protocols. It further advocates moving beyond interpretative models that privilege hypothetical reconstructions over the conservation of documented acoustic evidence.