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Six French organs and the registration indications in L'Oeuvre d'orgue de Jehan Alain

byLinda Dzuris

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Introduction

Even as the 60th anniversary of Jehan Alain's death approaches, researching musicians are still encountering a lack of readily available material regarding the interpretation of his organ works. The major factors limiting accessibility are linguistic and geographic. Most written documentation is available only in French. Many French journals are not available in the United States. Research of primary sources, such as manuscripts and the instruments themselves, can only be done on location in France and Switzerland.

Organists familiar with L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain are likely to know of the house organ built by Jehan's father, Albert. Often, the assumption is made that the registration indications found in the three volumes published by Leduc are specific to the family organ. Some are, but not all. It is the purpose of this document to shed more light on this grey area.

Part I will provide descriptions of several organs whose sonorities Jehan Alain was well acquainted with. Part II will explore which of these organs had the resources required for the registrations called for in Alain's pieces. An interview with Marie-Claire Alain may be read in Part III.

Part I: Description of Organs

The organ that Jehan Alain knew best was the house organ built by his father, Albert. A detailed account of the construction of the organ housed at Saint-Germaine-en-Laye was published by Albert Alain.1 The builder writes of beginning to build the wooden pipes while still an organ student of Alexandre Guilmant, acquiring the house to put the pipe organ in, and sketching a facade design to his liking. Then, "Mon clavier de Grand Orgue a parlé en 1911 . . . " The Grand-Orgue spoke the very year his son, Jehan, was born.

The house organ remained in a constant state of change as Albert sought to improve his creation through the last years of his life. Six discernable stages are documented in Ton van Eck's L'Orgue de Salon d'Albert Alain Restauré.2 The first three fall within the lifetime of Jehan Alain: the original plan, specifications given by Albert Alain to a fellow organ builder in 1930, and the disposition in 1939 as recalled by Marie-Claire Alain. The specifications of the organ in these first stages are found in Examples 1 and 2.

Peculiarities specific to the house organ are described by Marie-Claire Alain in a series of articles regarding her brother's works.3 The most striking detail, due to its rarity, is the divided pedal. An 8' and 16' permanently sounded in the lower octave. These same stops could be added to the upper octave if drawn separately. Also available in the upper octave, was the 4' Flute and the 4' Cornet. Either of these could be used as a solo stop.

Mme. Alain reminds the reader that the sound qualities of her father's organ are not the same as those found in a church organ. Indeed, upon visiting the restored instrument in Romainmôtier, Switzerland, one may be surprised by the delicate sonorities produced by what appears on paper to be a sizeable instrument for a house organ.

The physical layout of the organ is, of course, unique to the room. Space was extremely limited. A look behind the façade would uncover Albert Alain's ingenious solutions to that problem and other oddities, such as wind tubing made of rolled and glued newspaper. Those interested in exploring these organ building aspects further should consult the books by Ton van Eck.4

By 1924, Albert Alain was organist at l'Église de Saint-Germaine-en-Laye.5  Jehan would have been thirteen at the time. Marie-Claire Alain wrote that by age eleven, her brother was capable of playing in place of their father.6 Certainly, Jehan Alain knew this organ well. The original baroque style instrument from 1698 was built by Alexandre Thierry. Later in 1852, 1888 and 1903, the organ was transformed first by Cavaillé-Coll and later Charles Mutin into an instrument of the romantic style.7 When Albert Alain obtained his position at the St. Germaine church, he also made revisions. The specifications  found in Example 3 show the organ's disposition in 1930, coinciding with the dates of Jehan Alain's first organ compositions.

The names Cavaillé-Coll and Mutin appear again as builders of another organ familiar to both Albert and Jehan Alain. It is the instrument which resided at Meudon in the home of Alexandre Guilmant. Recalling that Albert Alain began his organ building during his organ studies, one is able to see that the elder Alain was influenced by this instrument—compare the organ specifications of his teacher's organ to his own. The Grand-Orgue divisions differ only in that Albert Alain chose to put the Salicional 8' in his Positif division. For other Positif stops, the same nomenclature is found on both: Cor de Nuit 8', Flûte douce 4', Nazard 22/3', Quarte de Nazard 2', and Tierce 13/5'.

Under what circumstance did Jehan Alain come to know Guilmant's instrument? Like his father, the younger Alain had opportunities to play it during his organ studies. Jehan Alain studied with Marcel Dupré, who had acquired Guilmant's organ. Some revisions were made in 1934, including the change from mechanical to electric action.8 The organ specifications from the time Jehan Alain would have been studying with Dupré are found in Example 4.

Jehan Alain often spent time in Valloires. From there, Jehan Alain wrote,

. . . Je voudrais que vous passiez seulement une journée ici. Je vous emmènerais dans des coins que j'aime.9

[. . . I would like you to spend just a day here. I will show you all the places I love.]

One of the places he loved was the chapel of the Abbaye de Valloires and its ancient pipe organ. It was at this instrument the young man felt that he would like to be a very old organist playing on an instrument he had known through many years.10 Again, Jehan Alain conveyed his thoughts in a letter.

Il y a ici un orgue à trois manuels qui est splendide est qui est placé dans le local le plus acoustigénique que j'ai jamais rencontré! Il a des vieux jeux qui ont 2 ou 300 ans qui ont une saveur! [. . .] Mais cet instrument est pourtant merveilleux à jouer vers 11 heures du soir quand le silence est absolu dans la campagne et qu'on joue en pianissimo les notes graves de la pédale qui font trembler l'atmosphère. C'est vraiment émouvant.11

[There is a splendid three manual organ here in the most acoustically satisfying place I have ever known! It has 2 or 300 year old stops which have character! .This

instrument is, nevertheless, marvelous to play around 11 at night when the silence in the countryside is  absolute and playing the low pedal notes pianissimo makes the air tremble. It is truly moving.]    

The chapel was founded by Cistercian monks in 1137. A Classical French organ was installed after 1789 (the French Revolution) by a builder whose name has since been lost. The organ at the Abbaye de Valloires has been restored and the specifications are given in Example 5.12

Albert Alain was consulted regarding the restoration of the organ at the Basilique de Saint-Ferjeux in Besançon13. Jehan Alain accompanied his father there in 1930,14 and would continue to make regular visits on his way to the family home in Haute-Savoie.15 As in Valloires, the young composer was moved by the acoustical setting of the instrument at St. Ferjeux and the general surroundings of the basilica. Marie-Claire Alain gives the following account of her brother's experience:

Jehan fut séduit par la campagne franc-comptoise, par une ambiance sympathique, [...] par la passion musicale qui animait le chanoine, et surtout par la merveilleuse acoustique de la basilique où l'orgue de GHYS sonnait avec chaleur et moelleux. Jehan y restait des heures a improviser . . . 16

[Jehan was seduced by the countryside, a friendly atmosphere, the passion for music which animated the canon (Tissot) and above all, the marvelous acoustics in the basilica where the GHYS organ sounded with a melπlowness and warmth. There, Jehan remained improvising for hours . . .]

Alain would play a formal recital at St. Ferjeux in 1931.17  The organ specifications are listed in Example 6.

Marie-Claire Alain recalls her brother enthusiastically composing after a visit to the 17th-century organ at the Église Saint-Sauveur in Le Petit Andelys.18 The instrument is in French Classic style, which may be noted in the disposition provided in Example 7. Jehan Alain performed an organ program at Saint-Sauveur in 1938.19

Without a doubt, Jehan Alain had opportunities to play other pipe organs.

This article will concern only the six covered here in Part I.

Example 1: Albert Alain's original plan

PÉDALE

                        16'              Soubasse

                        8'                  Basse

                        4'                  Flûte

GRAND-ORGUE

                        16'              Bourdon

                        8'                  Montre

                        8'                  Flûte harmonique

                        4'                  Prestant

POSITIF

                        8'                  Salicional

                       8'                  Cor de Nuit

                        4'                  Flûte douce

                         22/3'      Nazard

                        2'                  Quarte de Nazard

                        13/5'        Tierce (dessus)

                        8'                  Basson-Hautbois

RÉCIT

                        8'                  Flûte

                        8'                Viole de Gambe

                        8'                  Voix celeste

                        4'                  Salicet

                                                [ou Flûte oct. 4]

                                                Plein jeu III rgs.

                        8'                  Trompette

Alain organ in 1930 (According to notes by Jean Mas)

  PÉDALE

                        16'              Soubasse

                         8'                Basse

                        4'                  Flûte

                        32'              Resultante

                        16'              Bombarde

GRAND-ORGUE

                        16'              Bourdon 

                                                Montre

                                                Flûte harmonique

                                                Prestant

POSITIF

                                                Salicional

                                                Cor de Nuit

                                                Gros Nazard

                                                Flûte douce

                                                Nazard

                                                Octavin doux

                                                Tierce

                                                Larigot

RÉCIT

                        16'              Bourdon

                                                Montre

                                                Viole de Gambe

                                                Voix celeste

                                                Flûte traversière

                                                Flûte octaviante

                                                Quinte

                                                Doublette

                                                Plein jeu

                        8'                  Basson Hautbois

                        8'                  Trompette

SOLO

                        8'                  Quintaton

                        4'                  Dulciana

                        8'                  Cromorne

Example 2: Alain organ in 1939 (specifications provided by Marie-Claire Alain)

PÉDALE                                                                   

                        16'              Soubasse

                        8'                  Basse

                        4'                  Flûte

                        4'                  Cornet (4, 2, 11/3, 4/5)

GRAND-ORGUE

                        16'              Bourdon

                       8'                  Montre

                        8'                  Flûte harmonique

                        4'                  Prestant

POSITIF

                        8'                  Salicional

                         8'                Cor de Nuit

                        4'                  Flûte douce

                        51/3'        Gros Nazard

                        2'                  Quarte

                        22/3'        Nazard

                        13/5'        Tierce

                        11/3'        Larigot

SOLO

                        16'              Quintaton

                        8'                  Gambe

                        8'                  Voix celeste

                        8'                  Flûte Conique 

                        4'                  Flûte

                        4'                  Salicet

                        22/3'        Quinte

                        2'                  Flûte

                        8'                  Hautbois

                        8'                  Cromorne

                                                Tir. G.O.

                                                Tir. Pos.

                                                Tir. Solo

                                                Pos/G.O.

                                                Solo/G.O.

                                                Quatre claviers dont un n'était pas relié à la mécanique.

                                                (Four manuals, one of which was not connected and inoperable.)

Example 3: L'Orgue de l'Église à St. Germain-en-Laye20

GRAND ORGUE

                        16'              Bourdon

                        8'                  Montre

                        8'                  Salicional

                         8'                Flûte Harmonique

                         8'                Bourdon

                        8'                  Violoncelle

                        8'                  Prestant

                         4'                Prestant

                        22/3'        Quinte

                        2'                  Doublette

                        16'              Bombarde

                        8'                  Trompette

                        4'                  Clairon

POSITIF

                        8'                  Montre

                        8'                  Salicional

                        8'                  Unda Maris

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        4'                  Flûte douce

                        22/3'        Nazard

                        8'                  Trompette

                        8'                  Cromorne

RÉCIT

                        16'              Quintaton

                        8'                  Diapason

                        8'                  Flûte traversière

                        8'                  Salicional

                        8'                  Gambe

                        8'                  Voix celeste

                        8'                  Cor de nuit

                        4'                  Flûte octaviante

                        2'                  Octavin

                                                Plein Jeu IV rangs

                                                Cornet V rangs

                         16'            Basson

                        8'                  Trompette

                        4'                  Clairon

                        8'                  Basson-Hautbois

                        8'                  Voix humaine

PÉDALE

                        16'              Flûte

                        16'              Soubasse

                        8'                  Flûte

                        8'                  Violoncelle

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        4'                  Flûte

                        16'              Bombarde

                        8'                  Trompette

                                                Pédales de combinaison:

                                                Anches Péd.

                                                Anches G.O.

                                                Anches Pos.

                                                Anches Réc.

                                                Tir. G.O.

                                                Tir. Pos.

                                                Tir. Réc.

                                                Pos/G.O.

                                                Réc/G.O.

                                                Réc/Pos.

                                                Expression du Récit

                                                Tremolo Récit

Example 4: House organ of Alexandre Guilmant21

(Organ of Marcel Dupré by 1934)

GRAND-ORGUE

                        16'              Bourdon

                       8'                  Montre

                        8'                  Flûte harmonique

                        8'                  Salicional

                        4'                  Prestant

RÉCIT

(expressif)

                        8'                  Diapason

                        8'                  Flûte traversière

                        8'                  Dulciane

                        8'                  Voix celeste

                        4'                  Flûte octaviante

                        2'                  Doublette

                                                Plein-jeu III

                        8'                  Basson-Hautbois

                        8'                  Trompette harmonique

POSITIF

(expressif)

                        8'                  Flûte creuse *

                        8'                  Viole de Gambe **

                        8'                  Cor de nuit

                        4'                  Flûte dolce

                         22/3'      Nazard

                        2'                  Quarte de Nazard

                        13/5'        Tierce

                        8'                  Cromorne ***

PÉDALE

                        16'              Soubasse

                        16'              Contrebasse

                        8'                  Flûte

                        8'                  Violoncelle

                         8'                Bourdon

                        16'              Basson

                                                Pédales de Combinaisons

                                                Fonds Péd.

                                                Tir. G.O.

                                                Tir. Pos.                     

                                                Tir. Réc.

                                                Anches Péd.

                                                Piano G.O.

                                                Forte G.O.

                                                Anches Réc.

                                                Fonds G.O.

                                                Octave aigue du G.O.

                                                Copula Pos/G.O.

                                                Copula Réc/G.O.

                                                Réc/G.O. a l'octave grave

                                                Réc/Pos

                                                Tremolo du Récit

                                                Changes made in 1934 (22): *Quintadon 16'

                                                **Principal 8'

                                                ***Clarinette 8'

Example 5: Composition de l'orgue restauré La Chappelle de L'Abbaye de Valloires

(Given to Peggy Kelley Reinburg by M. DuClercq)

POSITIF

                        4'                  Prestant

                       8'                  Flûte

                        8'                  Bourdon à chem.

                        4'                  Flûte à chem.

                        22/3'        Nazard

                        2'                  Quarte de Nazard

                        13/5'        Tierce

                        8'                  Euphone

                        8'                  Cromorne

GRAND ORGUE

                        8'                  Montre

                        4'                  Prestant

                        2'                  Doublette

                                                Plein jeu V

                                                Gd. Cornet V (c3)

                        16'              Bourdon

                        8'                  Bourdon à chem.

                        4'                  Dulciana

                        8'                  Salicional

                        4'                  Viole de Gambe

                        8'                  Cor Anglais

                        8'                  Trompette

                        4'                  Clairon

                        8'                  Voix humaine

RÉCIT

(expressif)

                                                Cornet V (c3)

                        8'                  Bourdon à chem.

                        4'                  Flûte ouverte

                        8'                  Trompette

                        8'                  Basson-Hautbois

                        8'                  Clarinette

PÉDALE                

                        16'              Soubasse                

                        8'                  Flûte en Bois

                        8'                  Trompette

                        4'                  Clairon

Combinaisons:

Accouplements Pos/G.O et Réc/G.O.  

Tirasses Pos. et G.O.

Appel et retrait des anches G.O. (Trompette et Clairon)

Tremblant lent pour le grand orgue

Transmissions entirement mecaniques

Example 6: Orgue de La Basilique St. Ferjeux à Besançon (1932)

PÉDALE

                        16'              Soubasse

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        8'                  Flûte

                        16'              Bombarde

GRAND ORGUE

                        16'              Bourdon

                        8'                  Montre

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        8'                  Salicional

                        8'                  Fl. Harmonique

                        4'                  Prestant

                                                Fourniture IV

                        16'              Bombarde

                        8'                  Trompette

                        4'                  Clairon

RÉCIT EXPRESSIF

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        8'                  Diapason

                        8'                  Gambe

                        8'                  Voix celeste

                        4'                  Flûte octave

                                                Plein jeu IV

                        16'              Basson

                        8'                  Trompette

                        4'                  Clairon

POSITIF EXPRESSIF

                        16'              Quintaton

                        8'                  Montre-viola

                        8'                  Clarabella

                        8'                  Prestant

                        22/3'        Nazard

                        2'                  Flageolet

                        13/5'        Tierce

                        11/3'        Larigot

                                                Cymbale III

                        8'                  Basson Hautbois

                        8'                  Cromorne

                        8'                  Voix humaine

Accessories

                                                Péd/G.O.

                                                Péd/Réc.

                                                Péd/Pos.

                                                Péd/Pos. 4'

                                                G.O./Réc.

                                                G.O./Pos.

                                                Réc./Pos.

                                                1 comb. fixe Pos.

                                                Suppression jeux

                                                Appel Anches Péd.

                                                Appel Anches G.O.

                                                Appel Anches Réc.

                                                Tremolo

Example 7: L'Orgue de L'Église Saint-Sauveur(23)

[Le Petit-Andelys] 1674 R. Ingout           

POSITIF

                        4'                  Montre

                        2'                  Doublette

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        4'                  Flûte

                        22/3'        Nasard

                        13/5'        Tierce

                                                Fourniture III

                                                Cymbale II

                        8'                  Cromorne

GRAND-ORGUE

                        8'                  Montre

                        4'                  Prestant

                        2'                  Doublette

                        16'              Bourdon

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        4'                  Flûte

                        31/5'        Double-Tierce

                        22/3'        Nasard

                        13/5'        Tierce

                        11/3'        Larigot

                                                Cornet V

                                                Fourniture IV

                                                Cymbale III

                        8'                  Trompette

                        4'                  Clairon

                        8'                  Vox Humaine

ECHO

                        8'                  Bourdon

                         4'                Flûte

                                                Cornet III

                                                Forniture II

                        8'                  Voix Humaine

PÉDALE*

                        16'              Bourdon

                        8'                  Bourdon

                        4'                  Bourdon

                                                Couplers

                                                Pos/G.O.

                                                Pos/Péd. et G.O./Péd

                                                Rossignol

                                                Tremolo

                        * Pedal division added during 1969 restoration by Gonzalez

Part II: Organ Works of Jehan Alain

The following organ works of Jehan Alain are listed by date of composition.24

1929        Berceuse sur deux notes qui cornent

1930        Ballade en mode phrygien

                        Lamento

                        Postlude pour l'Office de Complies

1932        Variations sur Lucis Creator

                        Chante donné

                        Grave

                        Petite Pièce

1933        Premier Prélude profane

                        Deuxième Prélude profane

1934        Premier Fantaisie

                        Deux Danses à Agni Yavishta

                        Choral cistercien

                        Le Jardin suspendu

                        Climat

                        Andante

1935        De Jules Lemaitre

                        Fantasmagorie

                        Intermezzo

                        Deux Chorales (Dorien et Phrygien)

                        Prélude et Fugue

1934-36                     Suite pour Orgue

1936        Deuxième Fantaisie

1937        Variations sur un thème de Clément Jannequin

                        Litanies

1938        Monodie

1937-39                     Trois Danses

1939        Aria

Of these compositions, Jehan Alain lived to see only a few published. The Deux Chorals were the first. A set of three pieces followed: Variations sur un thème de Clément Jannequin, Le Jardin suspendu, Litanies. The others existed as musical ideas jotted in a small notebook the composer carried as he traveled, manuscript copies scattered among friends and relatives, and the memories of those who were privileged to have heard them. It was by the combined effort of Albert, Olivier and Marie-Claire Alain that publication of the remaining body of organ works was possible.

Despite the lack of more manuscripts prepared for publication, Jehan Alain did leave valuable information about organs and the registration of his pieces on various working manuscripts, in written communication to family and friends, and in his personal notebooks. Details have been gathered regarding the occasion for certain compositions, as well as the location where others were written.

A number of pieces were originally written as solo piano works: Grave, Premier Prélude, Andante (movement II from Suite Monodique), and Deux Chorals.25 The original Intermezzo is for two pianos and bassoon. Organ versions of these pieces were all created by Jehan Alain, and most were registered with the family organ in mind.26

Trois Danses is Jehan Alain's most complex composition. He completed it while in the army. His sketches show it was to be orchestrated and a transcription for organ was sent to a friend a short time before he was killed.

Suite pour Orgue was composed for a competition sponsored by the Societé des Amis de l'Orgue. Jehan Alain awarded first prize.27

Two pieces carry the name Valloires on their manuscripts as testimony of their composition at the chapel in L'Abbaye de Valloires. They are the Postlude pour L'Office de Complies and Choral Cistercien.

Marie-Claire Alain discusses the relationship between the organ at St. Ferjeux and several of her brother's compositions in a 1988 article.25 The organ works composed in Besançon are as follows: Lamento, Grave, Petite Pièce and Prélude from the Prélude et Fugue.

We know that Variations sur un thème de Clément Jannequin was composed with Petit-Andelys in mind. Written directly upon his return from a visit to the village, it has indications for the French Classic stops on the organ there.

Example 8 is from a set of charts comparing the registration indications of each piece in L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain to the specifications of the organs described in Part I.29 Due to the normalization and simplification of registration directions by Marie-Claire Alain in the revised 1971 edition,30 the inventory of stop names in all the charts was made from information contained in the 1943 Leduc edition of Alain's works with, the exception of Choral Cistercien. This piece was discovered later and is found only in the 1971 edition.

Liberties were taken concerning stop nomenclature. Dulciana, Salicet and Salicional were considered interchangeable strings. Likewise, the Nazard and Quinte are both 22/3'. An organ was marked as having an Hautbois or Basson if it had a Basson-Hautbois. Jehan Alain was known to have used the term Mixturs to mean Mutations, but the additional indication of Mixturs to already drawn mutations led to the decision to interpret Mixturs as mixtures. As to the interpretation of Fonds 16', 8', and 4': if only a single stop of 8' was available in a division, that division was not marked as having Fonds 8'; if a single 8' stop could be combined with a single or multiple 4' or 16' stops, the organ was marked as having Fonds 4' or Fonds 16'. Alternately, if a division had any reeds, it was marked for Anches. Lastly, certain stops that may have been available on an organ were not marked in the charts if they did not appear in the division specified in the score.

Part III: Interview with Marie-Claire Alain (April 1998)

L.D. It is my understanding that most of the manuscripts given by Jehan Alain to friends have been returned to you. Are there manuscripts in the possession of institutions?

M.-C.A. We own most of Alain's manuscripts, along with a few photo-copies. Several manuscripts are at the Bibliothèque Nationale. A few are still in private collections. I have photocopies of most of them, except for three manuscripts belonging to Helga Schauerte. I have seen these manuscripts in exhibitions in Paris, and have taken notes on them.

L.D. I have been unable to find the exact number of manuscript copies of each piece in any one publication. Does such a list exist?

M.-C.A. The list of the number of manuscripts will be published in my book [of Critical Notes on Jehan Alain's organ works].

L.D. Are there registration indications on all manuscripts and which pieces have multiple manuscript copies with different registrations?

M.-C.A. A few drafts have no registration indications. All pieces have multiple copies with different registrations.

L.D. Besides Postlude pour l'Office de Complies and Choral Cistercien, do the manuscripts mention specific organs or locations?

M.-C.A. Some markings show performances on many different organs.

L.D. What was the decision making process for the registration marks in the current (1971) Leduc edition?

M.-C.A. The decision for the registration marks in 1971 was based on the fact that organists at that time didn't play most pieces because the registration was too difficult. At that time, there were no sequencers and most organs had but a few general pistons, or no pistons at all. Also, the registrations made for the Alain organ needed to be reinforced on large organs in large rooms. Taking them literally would transform Alain's music into intimate chamber music. I know that this edition was criticized, but I have no regret because after that date, organists played not only Litanies, but other pieces as well.

L.D. On a prior occasion, you had mentioned that a new revised edition is in the hands of Leduc. When will that be available?

M.-C.A. A few days ago, I had an appointment with Mr. Jean Leduc, who promised me to release very soon my book of Critical Notes on Jehan Alain's organ works. This book would be completed by a thorough revision of the 1971 edition. It is expected in the next year or two.

L.D. We look forward to it! It is wonderful to have the restored Alain organ available to see, hear and play. The wind pressure for the organ was set according to records left by Albert Alain. Because the room in Romainmôtier is of course, different from its original home, how has this altered its sound from the way you remember it?

M.-C.A. The room is not much different from my father's home. The sound of the organ is very similar to my memories.

L.D. The restored organ is different from the one Jehan Alain knew. Does this make some of the registrations difficult?

M.-C.A. The organ was completed by my father according to Jehan's will. They discussed it together many times. The registration is not difficult. On the contrary, it has become easier.

L.D. Jehan Alain would make the best of what was available to him. For example, composing the Berceuse when two notes of the organ were ciphering. What advice would you give organists about registration for Jehan Alain's pieces?

M.-C.A. The title of "Berceuse" is, of course, a joke. Jehan Alain was one of the funniest persons I have known. The advice I'd give organists is not to take things too seriously. He was changing all the time. And, as he was a good organist, he changed according to the organ he played.

Conclusions

Eleven sets of registration indications appearing in L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain clearly match the disposition of a particular organ. It is not surprising to see that the Postlude pour l'Office de Complies and the Choral Cistercien markings correspond with the organ at the Abbaye de Valloires, since the manuscripts named the location. Variations sur Lucis Creator seems to have been inspired by the Valloires organ, though not proven to have been written there directly.

As for the pieces composed in Besançon, Grave and the Prélude of Prélude et Fugue contain registration markings that match the specifications of the organ at St. Ferjeux. However, the Lamento and Petite Pièce require elements found not at St. Ferjeux, but on the Alain house organ. The Lamento calls for the Hautbois and Cromorne to be on the same manual and indicates the need for a divided pedal. An Hautbois in the Récit for the Petite Pièce is another feature of the Alain organ and not the instrument at St. Ferjeux. A Récit Hautbois was also available at l'Église de St. Germaine-en-Laye.

Deux Danses à Agni Yavishta is exactly suited for the organ of Albert Alain. With the option of dividing the pedal, this instrument fits the indications in the Intermezzo. One exception is the indication for an expressive swell division, not yet available in the composer's home. Additionally, Variations sur un thème de Clément Jannequin is easily registered on the Alain organ and not the instrument at Petit-Andelys, which was Jehan Alain's inspiration to compose the piece.

The instrument at l'Église de St. Germaine-en-Laye would have provided the necessary resources for realizing Alain's registrations in the Introduction et Variations from Suite, Premier Prélude, and Premier Fantaisie. The Choral and Scherzo of Suite, Litanies, and Trois Danses are best realized on the larger organs of St. Ferjeux and St. Germaine-en-Laye. 

Registration indications in several pieces did not lend themselves to any of the six organs in this study. They include Ballade, Aria, Le Jardin suspendu, Deuxième Prelude and Deuxième Fantaisie. Further, a few stops are listed which an organist in early 20th-century France would find difficult to come across. For example, Cor Anglais or Vox humaine 16' in a manual division, or 32' in the pedal. Marie-Claire Alain has written that her brother wrote music for organs with resources he could imagine and would have liked to have at his disposal.31

It has been said that to move forward, one must understand the past. It is the hope of this author that this document will aid fellow musicians in their endeavor to understand the registration indications in L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain through knowledge of six organs particularly known by the composer. It must be stated that Jehan Alain made do with what resources were available to him. Expected shortly is a book of critical notes by Marie-Claire Alain that will make available details of numerous and varying manuscript copies and explain alterations made in a new edition of her brother's works, to be published in the next year or two. Careful consideration of past and present information will allow organists to successfully carry the works of Jehan Alain into the future. As the composer himself must have believed, if the music has moved the listener, you have been successful.

REFERENCES

                        1.                  "Albert Alain et son Orgue," L'Orgue no. 44 (1947), pp. 83–84.

                        2.                  Ton van Eck, L'Orgue de Salon d'Albert Alain Restauré. Romainmôtier 1992, pp. 15–31. [see note 4]

                        3.                  Marie-Claire Alain, "L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain," L'Organo Italy, July–December 1968.

                        4.                  Ton van Eck, L'Orgue de Salon d'Albert Alain. Voorburg 1989. L'Orgue de Salon d'Albert Alain Restauré. Romainmôtier 1992. [Both are available by writing the Association Jehan Alain, La maison du prieur, CH-1323 Romainmôtier, Suisse; ph 41-24-453 17 18 or by fax 41-24-453 11 50.]

                        5.                  Helga Schauerte, Jehan Alain. Regensburg 1985 (French translation), p. 17.

                        6.                  Ibid., p. 17.

                        7.                  Ibid., p. 29

                        8.                  Ton van Eck, L'Orgue de salon d'Albert Alain,  p. 12. [see note 4]

                        9.                  Bernard Gavoty, Jehan Alain. Paris 1945, p. 128.

                        10.              Ibid., p. 67.

                        11.              Helga Schauerte, Jehan Alain, p. 33.

                        12.              Personal communication from Peggy Kelley Reinburg. Virginia 1998.

                        13.              Ton van Eck, L'Orgue de salon d'Albert Alain Restauré, p. 7. [see note 4]

                        14.              Marie-Claire Alain, "Jehan Alain et l'orgue de St. Ferjeux à Besançon," La Tribune de l'Orgue, 40 (no. 3) 1988, p. 15.

                        15.              J.M. Cicchero, "L'Orgue de la Basilique Saint-Ferjeux de Besançon," Les Facteurs d'Orgue français, no. 12 (1988), p. 27.

                        16.              Marie-Claire Alain, "Jehan Alain et l'orgue de St. Ferjeux à Besançon," La Tribune de l'Orgue, 40 (no. 3) 1988, p. 15.

                        17.              Ibid.

                        18.              Marie-Claire Alain, "The Organ Works of Jehan Alain: Part II." The Diapason, February 1970, p. 25.

                        19.              Ton van Eck, L'Orgue de salon d'Albert Alain Restauré, p. 25. [see note 4]

                        20.              Ton van Eck, L'Orgue de Salon d'Albert Alain, p. 7. [see note 4]

                        21.              Norbert Dufourq, La Musique d'Orgue Française. Paris 1949.

                        22.              Ton van Eck, L'Orgue de salon d'Albert Alain. [see note 4]

                        23.              Charles Lindow, Historic Organs in France. Delaware, Ohio, 1980, p. 38.

                        24.              Helga Schauerte, Jehan Alain, pp. 145–157.

                        25.              Helga Schauerte, Jehan Alain. Regensburg 1983 (French translation), p. 22.

                        26.              Marie-Claire Alain, "L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain," L'Organo Italy, July–December 1968.

                        27.              Ibid.

                        28.              Marie-Claire Alain, "Jehan Alain et l'Orgue de St. Ferjeux a Besaçon," La Tribune de l'orgue, 40 (no. 3) 1988, pp. 14–21.

                        29.              Linda Dzuris, "A Survey of Six French Organs and Their Relation to the Registration Indications Found in the 1943 Edition of L'Oeuvre         d'Orgue de Jehan Alain."  University of Michigan Dissertation Document, 1998.

                        30.              Marie-Claire Alain in the "Quelques remarques," L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain. Paris 1971.

                        31.              Marie-Claire Alain, "L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain," L'Organo Italy, July 1968.

 

Translation), p.145-157.

 

25. Helga Schauerte, Jehan Alain.  Regensburg 1983 (French Translation), p.22.

 

26. Marie-Claire Alain, "L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain," L'Organo Italy, July-December 1968.

 

27. Ibid.

 

28. Marie-Claire Alain, "Jehan Alain et l'Orgue de St.Ferjeux a   Besancon," La Tribune de l'orgue, 40 (no.3) 1988, p.14-21.

 

29. Linda Dzuris, "A Survey of Six French Organs and Their  Relation to the Registration Indications Found in the 1943       Edition of L'Oeuvre d' Orgue de Jehan Alain."  University of      Michigan Dissertation Document, 1998.

 

30. Marie-Claire Alain in the "Quelques remarques," L'Oeuvre   d'Orgue de Jehan Alain. Paris 1971.

 

31. Marie-Claire Alain, "L'Oeuvre d'Orgue de Jehan Alain," L'Organo     Italy, July 1968.

Related Content

Poulenc and Duruflé ‘premieres’ in Woolsey Hall at Yale University and the Polignac organ

Ronald Ebrecht

Ronald Ebrecht, an international performer for more than three decades, has been heard in concert on four continents. His articles have been published on three continents, including two forthcoming in Russian and the present article, which was requested for the Bulletin de l’Association Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, where it appeared in a French version in December 2008. He continues work on his next book on the Cavaillé-Coll project for Saint Peter’s, Rome, to be published in 2011. As University Organist at Wesleyan University, he has taught for more than twenty years. Ebrecht has commissioned works from composers such as William Albright, Xiaoyong Chen, Raul de Zaldo Fabila, David Hurd, Christian Wolff and Wesleyan composers Anthony Braxton, Neely Bruce, Jay Hoggard, Ron Kuivila and Alvin Lucier. Many are available from major publishers. His latest performances of the Poulenc Concerto were at Minsk Philharmonic Hall on November 5.

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Maurice Duruflé altered his organ works many times from when he composed them in his youth to the end of his life. My intent to know the original led me to strip away these layers.1 I now perform from my restored early versions in which I include Duruflé’s later note corrections. Duruflé’s changes to the Scherzo, opus 2 and Prélude, Adagio et choral varié sur le thème du “Veni Creator,” opus 4 are quite extensive. Informed listeners are often surprised to hear the original published scores.

The Polignac organ
In the process of researching these first editions and my book, I studied the earliest version of the Poulenc Organ Concerto and the instrument where it was premiered by Maurice Duruflé, the Cavaillé-Coll house organ of the Princesse de Polignac, who commissioned the work—the last in her distinguished collection of commissions.2 She was a capable organist and patroness of the arts, who also commissioned Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos. Poulenc, with no skills as an organist, sought advice from the Princesse’s house concert director, Nadia Boulanger, regarding the solo part. Her interest in early music is revealed in the concerto’s reminiscence of two German Baroque pieces: Buxtehude’s and Bach’s Fantasias in G Minor.
From manuscript sources, I have reconstructed the specification of the Cavaillé-Coll as it was for the premiere, December 16, 1938. Most performers reference the sound of the organ in the 1961 recording of the concerto as performed by Duruflé on the newly restored organ of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont; however, there was no west-end organ in this church when the concerto was premiered, nor when Poulenc consulted with him for the registrations in the published score, because it was removed in spring 1939. Two newspaper articles, one with a photo showing the pipes being removed, chronicle this planned rebuild: Anonymous, “Les Orgues de St-Étienne-du-Mont,” Le Petit Journal, Paris (28 April 1939), and Stephane Faugier, “On transforme les orgues de Saint-Étienne du Mont,” Le Journal, Paris (3 March 1939).
During the previous summer, with Felix Raugel and Marcel Dupré, Duruflé prepared a proposed specification to rebuild the organ.3 The neo-Classic sounds he imagined from the 1938 specification (or those of the quite different 1956 specification of the organ once restored after the war), were not available to the performer on the Polignac organ at the time of the private premiere, nor the Mutin of the public one (see below). The Polignac concert room allowed only a small orchestra, which, combined with its Romantic Cavaillé-Coll organ, certainly produced a melded ensemble quite apart from the ‘oil and water’ effects of Duruflé’s famous recording.
Unfortunately the manuscript does not give the registrations initially used, leaving the problem that the published registrations would not have been possible on the two organs where it was first played. On these the effect was certainly more blended with the orchestra, and more importantly, the timbre of these instruments was decidedly Romantic.
Winnaretta Singer originally commissioned her Cavaillé-Coll in 1892 for the balcony of the atelier of her residence on the corner of what was then the Avenue Henri Martin and is now the Avenue Georges Mandel and the rue Cortambert. After her divorce from her first husband, the Prince de Scey-Montbéliard, she married the Prince Edmond de Polignac, thirty years her senior, in 1893. When Polignac died in 1901, she took down the house leaving the atelier, and built a grand mansion with a separate music room incorporated into the main house on her property. The two-story atelier was also reconstructed, with an apartment on the upper level and a large music room with the rebuilt organ provided on the ground floor. In these two spaces many concerts were given, and the musical and artistic elite of the age gathered: Cocteau, Colbert, Dupré, Fauré, Proust, Stravinsky, etc. Prominent organists often gave recitals, but Duruflé seems not to have been among them, and only had access to the instrument to practice the day before the premiere of the concerto.
Jesse Eschbach in “A Compendium of Known Stoplists by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll 1838–1898” (Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, Vol. 1; Paderborn: Verlag Peter Ewars, 2003, p. 557) omits the Grand orgue Bourdon 16. However, as Eschbach remarks in a footnote, it is included in René Desplat, “L’Orgue de salon dans la région parisienne depuis un siècle,” L’Orgue 83 (April-September 1957): 79–90.4 Similarly, Carolyn Shuster-Fournier in “Les Orgues de Salon d’Aristide Cavaillé-Coll Paris,” L’Orgue: Cahiers et Mémoires, 1997, p. 95, omits it in the specification but mentions it in a footnote. I will prove Desplat correct. The Bourdon 16 was present in all versions of the organ.

Princesse de Polignac, Cavaillé-Coll, 1892, 56-note manuals, 30-note pedal

Grand orgue expressif
Bourdon 16
Montre 8
Flûte harmonique 8
Bourdon 8
Prestant 4
Flûte douce 4
Basson 16
Trompette 8
Clairon 4

Récit expressif
Flûte traversière 8
Gambe 8
Voix céleste 8
Flûte octaviante 4
Octavin 2
Plein jeu
Basson-Hautbois 8
Clarinette 8

Pédale
Soubasse 16
Flûte 8

Orage
Tirasse GO
Tirasse Récit
Anches Récit
Anches GO
Copula
Trémolo
Nadia Boulanger, known in the USA as “the famous French organist,” gave the premiere of the Copland Organ Symphony, written for her, with the New York Philharmonic on January 11, 1925. The Princesse was also quite an accomplished organist, and continued to play and study major works of Bach in her London exile during World War II. The Poulenc Organ Concerto was originally intended to be performed by the Princesse. Duruflé was Mlle. Boulanger’s very natural suggestion: she knew him from having judged him in the organ contests he won in 1929 and 1930, and from his teaching of harmony at the Conservatoire Americain at Fontaine-
bleau, which she directed.
The organ was again rebuilt in 1933 before Duruflé played for the premiere of the concerto under the baton of Nadia Boulanger.5 The Princesse wrote to Nadia Boulanger from Italy October 23, 1933, authorizing the work to be done to her organ to cost 11,500 francs.6 These alterations made by Victor Gonzalez, when Rudolf von Beckerath was in his employ, are as follows: make the expression boxes open more fully, repair the pedal mechanism, and most importantly, add a Plein jeu 4 ranks to the Grand orgue in the place of the Basson 16, which is transferred to the Pédale.7 Also enumerated at a cost of 500 francs is removal of the 32′ stop. Though it is possible that one may have been added in 1904, given the size and reduced height of the space where the organ was re-installed and the fact that no one who saw the organ remarked upon such an addition, I think it most unlikely. This expense was probably for the removal of the Orage mechanism.
The Princesse encloses the typed estimate from Gonzalez:

WORK TO BE DONE
I—The most urgent
1. Take the pipes out, clean them, repair them and clean the organ: 11,000 frs
2. Take apart the bass windchests and modify them to have more wind for the pipes: 4,000 frs
X 3. Do away with the 32 foot stop and take it out of the organ: 500 frs X
4. Move the Bourdon 16′ wood pipes to permit the placement of a three-rank cornet on the main chest: 1,500 frs
5. Redo the lead windlines that are oxidized: 4,000 frs
X X 6. Give the expression boxes maximum opening—redo the mechanism: 1,000 frs X
X X 7. Move the Basson 16′ of manual I to the Pédale: 4,000 frs X
X 8. Replace the Basson 16′ on G.O. with a Plein jeu of 4 ranks, which will brighten the main manual: 4,500 frs X
9. Redo the voicing of the organ to make stops more distinct: 7,000 frs
X 10. Repair the mechanism of the Pédale, which has frequent ciphers: 1,500 frs X
11. Modify the Bourdon 8′ and Flûte douce stops of the G.O. which must serve as bass for the Cornet, by giving them chimneys: 800 frs
12. Make new pipes for: Nasard 22⁄3′, Doublette 2′, Tierce 13⁄5′: 6,000 frs
13. Make a new chest for these three stops (Nasard, Doublette, Tierce): 2,800 frs
= 48,600 frs X

On it she makes annotations mentioned in her letter and marked X.8 The total for the work to be done equals the 11,500 francs she agrees to pay for those items on the invoice she accepts. This offers much to consider, as much by what she decides to do as by what she declines—changes that would have given the organ a neo-Classic sound. How fortunate that the efficient person who typed the estimate provides precisions that allow one to establish the original and modified specifications. The estimate references the addition of a 3-rank Cornet (by moving the Bourdon 16′ pipes and modifying the Bourdon 8′ and Flûte douce), and completing it with pipes and a new chest.
We thus know that originally there were both 16′ and 8′ Bourdons on the Grand orgue and that there was no Cornet, even though Duruflé suggests Cornets on both the Récit and Positif in his concerto registrations. It is clear that it was the Baroque-minded Mlle. Boulanger who wanted the Cornet, not the Princesse herself.9 More importantly, we can establish what the balance was between this organ and the small orchestra. Some have thought of the work as a chamber piece, but the Princesse’s instrument was certainly very powerful relative to the smaller cubic volume of the space where it was re-installed in 1904. Thus, the Organ Concerto is not like the Concert Champêtre where the orchestra overwhelms the harpsichord, but rather the reverse. Duruflé had to exercise care in registration not to swamp the orchestra. Performers with large orchestras in large halls can therefore use more organ to achieve the appropriate balance.

Princesse de Polignac, Cavaillé-Coll, 56-note manuals, 30-note pedal, as modified in 1933

Grand orgue expressif
Bourdon 16
Montre 8
Flûte harmonique 8
Bourdon 8
Prestant 4
Flûte douce 4
Plein jeu IV
Trompette 8
Clairon 4

Récit expressif
Flûte traversière 8
Gambe 8
Voix céleste 8
Flûte octaviante 4
Octavin 2
Plein jeu III
Basson-Hautbois 8
Clarinette 8

Pédale
Soubasse 16
Flûte 8
Basson 16

Tirasse GO
Tirasse Récit
Anches Récit
Anches GO
Copula
Trémolo

Six months after the private premiere was the first public performance, June 21, 1939 on the Mutin in the Salle Gaveau.

Salle Gaveau, Mutin, III/36, 56/3010
Grand orgue

Bourdon 16
Montre 8
Gambe 8
Flûte harmonique 8
Bourdon 8
Praestant 4
Nasard 22⁄3
Doublette 2
Fourniture III
Basson 16
Trompette 8
Clairon 4

Positif expressif
Principal 8
Salicional 8
Cor de nuit 8
Flûte douce 4
Flageolet 2
Carillon III
Cromorne 8

Récit expressif
Diapason 8
Flûte traversière 8
Viola de gambe 8
Voix céleste 8
Flûte octaviante 4
Octavin 2
Plein jeu IV
Trompette harmonique 8
Basson-Hautbois 8
Soprano 4

Pédale
Contrebasse 16
Soubasse 16
Basse 8
Violoncelle 8
Bourdon 8
Flûte 4
Tuba Magna 16

Tirasse GO
Tirasse P
Tirasse R
Forte Péd
FF Péd
Positif/Récit
Machine GO
P/GO
R/GO
Anches GO
Anches R
Récit/R 16

Poulenc dedicates his score to the “Princesse Edmond de Polignac” and credits Duruflé for the registrations: “La registration a été établie avec le concours de Monsieur Maurice Duruflé.” (The registration was established with the assistance of Maurice Duruflé.) The following specification is derived from Duruflé’s suggested registrations for the Concerto. It produces an organ that is interesting to compare with those at his disposal for the first two performances, as well as that of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont at the time of the first recording: the specification as below concurs with none of these three. Normal type is used for stops inferred from generic suggestions, viz: fonds. Italics indicates specific stop names.

Grand orgue expressif
Montre 16
Bourdon 16
Montre 8
Flûte 8
Bourdon 8
Gambe 8
Octave 4
Flûte 4
Mixture
Trompette 8
Clairon 4
Positif/G.O. 8
Récit/G.O. 8
Positif/G.O. 4
Récit/G.O. 4

Positif expressif
Montre 8
Flûte 8
Bourdon 8
Gambe 8
Dulciane 8
Octave 4
Flûte 4
Nazard
Mixture
Cornet
Clarinette 8
Trompette 8
Clairon 4
Récit/P.

Récit expressif
Quintaton 16
Montre 8
Gambe 8
Flûte 8
Cor de nuit 8
Voix céleste
Octave 4
Flûte 4
Octavin 2
Cornet
Mixture
Hautbois 8
Trompette 8
Clairon 4

Pédale
Bourdon 32
Montre 16
Bourdon 16
Montre 8
Flûte 8
Bourdon 8
Octave 4
Bombarde 16
Trompette 8
Clairon 4
Grand orgue/Péd.
Positif/Péd.
Récit/Péd.

Since these Poulenc Concerto registration suggestions follow those of Duruflé for his own works so closely, readers seeking more background are referred to my discussion of the organs he knew at this time.11 Of note, there is no request for sixteen-foot manual reeds. The suggestions of mixtures on secondary and tertiary divisions and for super-couplers to the main division are curious, as these were normally not commonly available in France at that time. Also of particular interest is the Dulciane in the Positif, which he did not have on any organ he knew or designed, but he also suggested in the “Sicilienne” of Suite, opus 5.
The Princesse wished to perpetuate her artistic and philanthropic activities by establishing the Fondation Singer-Polignac in 1928. The first president was Raymond Poincaré, former President of France. After the Princesse’s death in London during the war (November 26, 1943), she left her organ to the singer Marie-Blanche, la comtesse Jean de Polignac, niece of Edmond. Marie-Blanche was not an organist, and the organ remained in the house until she donated it to the Séminaire du Merville, where it was reinstalled by Victor Gonzalez with a revised specification and electric pedal chest. Carolyn Shuster-Fournier publishes its present disposition in her excellent book.12 Though the organ is no longer extant in the Paris house, the spaces are still used regularly for performances sponsored by the foundation.

The Woolsey Hall performance
The New Haven Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1894, is the fourth oldest in America. Since the completion of Yale’s splendid Woolsey Hall in 1901, the NHSO has performed on that stage, beneath one of the grandest of all organ façades in an ample, embracing acoustic. The orchestra programs an occasional organ concerto, featuring the 200-rank E. M. Skinner organ. When I was asked to perform, nothing seemed more appropriate than the Poulenc with my new registrations, which I premiered two years before at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. Given the Poulenc/Duruflé connection, some of Duruflé’s music was de rigueur. I invited the Yale Camerata, directed by Marguerite Brooks, to perform the Requiem, opus 9, and I arranged with the Association Duruflé to include the American premiere of the orchestrated “Sicilienne.”
As far as we know, Duruflé orchestrated only two of his organ works: the Scherzo, opus 2, published as Andante and Scherzo, opus 8, and the “Sicilienne,” from Suite opus 5 (b), which is unpublished. Duruflé’s adaptation of these scores is quite similar in approach. I have long theorized that harmonic and stylistic links join the Scherzo and “Sicilienne.” I add to that argument another: Duruflé orchestrated them alike.
The Andante and Scherzo, and “Sicilienne” together with the Trois Danses, opus 3, comprise the entire solo orchestral oeuvre of Duruflé. William Boughton, the new conductor of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, shares my passion for them. Eventually the NHSO will present the complete orchestral pieces over the next few seasons, but in Boughton’s October 18, 2007 début concert with the orchestra it seemed appropriate to begin with a premiere of the unpublished “Sicilienne.” Though presented several years ago at the American Cathedral in Paris, it has not been programmed by a regular orchestra. Though his instrumentation of the largest version of the Requiem and of his Trois Danses for orchestra has the punch and verve of the most energetic orchestral compositions of Dukas or Ravel, the gentle, intimate and lilting “Sicilienne” required a quite different approach.
Maestro Boughton began the program with Fauré’s orchestral suite Pelleas et Melisande. Much of Fauré’s music gained a hearing only in the salons of cultivated aristocrats like the Princesse Edmond de Polignac, to whom this piece is dedicated. Fauré’s haunting “Sicilienne” set the scene for that of Duruflé—not just in genre and atmosphere, but it also prepared the audience with the familiar Fauré work to appreciate the unknown one that followed. Organists in the audience were given much to think about from hearing the orchestrated version of the second movement of the Suite. For instance, a clarinet plays the triplets in the accompaniment in the final da capo of the A theme. At the organ, this is often played faster than is possible for a clarinet. One also could note solo lines given to a single stop on the organ that are shared between instruments quite different in timbre in the orchestrated version. Closing the first half of the program, I played the Poulenc.
Readers may be interested in a synopsis of what is unique about my re-edition of the registrations and how I adapted it to this large symphonic organ. As an example, phrases in the concerto pass from first violins to second violins when they are repeated. Since this organ has multiple possibilities—with two clarinets, several solo flutes, two French horns, etc.—I followed the orchestration and registered repeated phrases on similar solo stops in alternate locations. Since the timbres suggested by Duruflé in the score were not available to him in the first two performances nor to me on this instrument, I applied the pattern of Duruflé’s revisions of registrations in his organ works. In these, as an example, Flûte harmonique later becomes Flûte, then even later in some cases Cornet. Neither the Princesse’s Cavaillé-Coll nor the Salle Gaveau Mutin had a Cornet. The Princesse had a solo flute, a Clarinette, a Basson-Hautbois, and a Trompette. In the Poulenc, I therefore used a few beautiful solo flute registrations rather than synthesizing a poor cornet with the available stops where it was suggested, except in the left-hand entry at measure 142, where I used alternating French horns instead of a cornet. Similarly, I used the two exquisite orchestral clarinets for the clarinet lines and did not try to produce a buzzy Baroque-sounding one. For some other solo lines, I used various oboe stops.
In general the effect made the organ more blended into the orchestra because the Woolsey solo stops are more orchestral in timbre than neo-Classic ones, and the foundations are smoother. The solo lines therefore arose from the organ-plus-orchestra texture sounding like orchestral instruments. Even informed audience listeners thought they were hearing orchestral wind instrument solos. At other points, to bring out the organ more, I made other adjustments. For instance, the multiple mixture plenums suggested in the score are not as snappy as reed choruses, and Duruflé did not have access to them. In Woolsey at measure 325 I used the Great mixtures, but answered with the Swell chorus reeds.
After intermission, to accompany the procession of the choir onto the stage, a select group of Yale Camerata men sang the Gregorian Introit. Thus began a marvelous rendition of the Requiem, opus 9. I am very grateful to the Yale Institute of Sacred Music (Martin Jean, director) for their substantial support of this concert. To introduce the audience to the program, musicologist and Polignac biographer Sylvia Kahan gave a pre-concert lecture.13 All were gratified to read the review by David J. Baker in the New Haven Register, which appeared on October 21. 

 

Understanding Maurice Duruflé, 1902–1986

Ronald Ebrecht

Ronald Ebrecht researches French music from 1870–1940 both for performance and publication. He has performed his reconstruction of the original versions of Duruflé’s organ works in Austria, Belarus, China, France, Germany, Lithuania, Mexico, Russia, and across the U.S. He is University Organist of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut.

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Some scholars define French Impressionist composers as those born up to 1902 rather than 1900. This allows for the significant talent of the Debussy of the organ, Maurice Duruflé, who by the mid-20th century contributed to the musical world organ works that define Impressionistic virtuosity—and its most notable Gregorian-based Requiem, with an Impressionistic orchestral accompaniment.
Duruflé is Impressionist in his use of form, harmony, rhythm, and registration. Though organists are thought to favor counterpoint and there are contrapuntal movements, free forms predominate. He emulated his teacher Paul Dukas (1865–1935) not only in compositional style, but also like Dukas he left conspicuously little music for posterity. Beyond the beauty of his compositions, this scarceness may contribute to their being prized, for they are both rare and perfect, and, like the last of anything, especially delicious.
The music is consistently challenging and always rewarding. The melodies, harmonies, rhythm, registration—all grow more loved as they become more familiar, in part because long practice hours are necessary to learn these masterworks. The Suite, Opus 5 of 1934, sets performance demands that have not been exceeded—for the insight to interpret the subtle “Sicilienne,” or the technique necessary for the daunting “Toccata.” His scores are the pinnacle of organ writing, yet in all this remarkable complexity there is never a superfluous note. Duruflé regularly revised the pieces in later life. Of the major works, the Suite, Opus 5, had the fewest revisions from its first publication until the final version. The closing “Toccata” was, however, often the subject of his self-critical eye. He regularly disparaged the piece in masterclasses, never recorded it, advocated cuts, and eventually re-wrote the closing cadenza.
His continual reassessment of his works, his reticence to compose once he began teaching harmony at the Conservatoire National (Supérieur) de Musique in 1943, and his quiet, unassuming manner would have left his music on the shelf were it not for his marriage in 1953 to his brilliant, effusive student Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Chevalier (1921–1999). Her vividly remembered performances and recordings are public testament of her devotion to her husband; her care for him in his infirmity was her private testament. From her début to her final recitals, she performed his works with insight and verve.

Ties that bind:
Opus-to-instrument links in the first editions of the major organ works

The premise
Performance practice studies of other French composers such as Franck or Messiaen investigate connections between their music and the specifications and tone of the organs of which they were titulaire. For Duruflé, information gleaned from masterclasses and suggestions made to private pupils of the composer and of his wife have constituted the basis for performance. Though interesting, this advice given decades after the composition of the works was already stale. Many are unaware that the versions of the scores currently in print were changed from the originals because, unlike most composers who are eager to extend the copyright of their works, Duruflé never renewed his even when pieces such as the Scherzo and “Adagio” from Veni Creator were substantially altered.
For performance today, a careful re-examination of the Duruflé first editions and of the instruments at his disposal when the works were written suggests subtle yet important links between two organs and the compass and registration of the pieces. From 1926 to 1934, the years of his most active organ composition, he regularly played four instruments: in his home town Louviers, the parish church Notre-Dame; and in Paris, the cathedral Notre-Dame, and parishes Sainte-Clotilde and Saint-Étienne du Mont. Of these, he could only play his compositions using his indicated registrations on the organs of the churches he served as titulaire, Louviers and Saint-Étienne. Those where he assisted his Parisian teachers—Tournemire at Sainte-Clotilde then Vierne at the cathedral—were perhaps idealized but are not referenced in the registrations he suggests. These famous instruments are further precluded by their restricted compass.

The background
After a few years of piano and solfège lessons in Louviers, where his father was an architect, in 1912 Maurice went to study in the provincial capital, Rouen. After 1914, he was organist of two Rouen parishes: Saint-Sever and Saint-André, neither with interesting organs. In 1916, his father did design work for the country estate of conservatoire history professor Maurice Emmanuel. After an audition in Louviers, Duruflé began commuting to Paris for lessons with Tournemire to prepare for his entrance into the conservatoire. Emmanuel was a classmate, lifelong friend, and scholar of Claude Debussy. Emmanuel recounts an event he attended in 1887. Théodore Dubois, professor of harmony at the conservatoire, accompanied some verses of the Magnificat at the organ with the then “new” harmonies à la Debussy, using unresolved successions of ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths. Perhaps Emmanuel, a great raconteur, regaled the impressionable conservatoire-bound Duruflé by retelling this incident, or demonstrating the process at the organ, which we certainly hear in Duruflé’s writing.
Once admitted to the conservatoire, he won all the coveted prizes: premier prix in organ with Eugène Gigout in 1922, harmony with Jean Gallon in 1924, and accompaniment with Abel-César Estyle in 1926. That year he wrote his Scherzo to enter the composition program under Charles-Marie Widor. Widor was eventually officially replaced by Dukas, who may have been substituting for him. Duruflé obtained the premier prix of counterpoint, fugue and composition in 1928. In the next two years, he won the improvisation and playing competitions of the French organists’ association, Les Amis de l’Orgue. These dates—1926, 1929, 1930—are critical, for at this time Opus 2 and his two larger works Opus 4 and Opus 5 were in progress on that desk at which he notoriously used the eraser more than the pencil.
The Scherzo, Opus 2, a charming yet intimidating miniature, can be played on a much smaller organ than the large-scale works. The registrations were later changed by Duruflé to a more Neoclassic æsthetic, and the “da capo” was revised. The sonata-rondo form of this piece is exceptional for a scherzo, particularly because of the abrupt changes of tempo. The most remarkable textual variation from the modern version occurs in the da capo, or final reprise of the main scherzo theme. In the 1929 edition, Duruflé quotes the ascending chords from the third theme on the Grand Orgue between each phrase of the scherzo theme. These vignettes were removed in 1947.
The original registrations are more subtly linked to the themes, and sections of the piece are less abruptly demarcated. The effects such as multiple unison stops with Voix humaine, trémolo and sub-couplers are certainly luxurious. Throughout, the ample, embracing original registrations and less pronounced solos reinforce the Impressionistic atmosphere. (See Example 1.)
In addition to registrations, the Scherzo is linked to Louviers by its dedicatee: “A mon cher Maître Charles Tournemire, Hommage reconnaissant.” Tournemire performed the concert for the rededication of the Louviers organ in 1926, at which Duruflé also participated. Perhaps the Scherzo was then played, if only privately. Opus 2 specifies the quiet Récit flute as “Cor de nuit.” Louviers and organs from his Rouen period such as his teacher’s house organ were the ones he knew in 1926 with a Récit flute thus termed. A stop of this name is curiously absent from Duruflé’s monumental specification for Saint-Étienne du Mont of 1956.
Another piece that requests the Cor de nuit is the “Sicilienne” of the Suite, Opus 5, linking it to the Scherzo. In addition to stipulating “Cor de nuit,” the Scherzo and “Sicilienne” require the same manual and pedal compass. Although by 1926 Duruflé was quite familiar with the Sainte-Clotilde organ, its pedal compass precludes that organ. The “Sicilienne” explores a modal, proto-folk melody in the characteristic Sicilian rhythm. The solo appears first in the soprano using Hautbois and Cor de nuit, then in the tenor using Cor de nuit, Clarinette, and Nasard. The second statement is accompanied on the Positif with Bourdon and Dulciane 8'. The “Sicilienne” is further linked to the 1926 specification of Louviers by the request for two 8' strings and a 4' Dulciana on the Grand Orgue, which of all the organs known to him, only Louviers had. In the “Sicilienne,” the Récit “Oboe” is called “Hautbois,” while in the “Prélude” of the Suite, “Basson.” Some may argue that the names are synonyms, but are perhaps unaware that at Sainte-Clotilde, Notre-Dame de Paris, and Saint-Étienne du Mont, the Oboe is called “Basson” or “Basson-Hautbois,” while at Notre-Dame de Louviers, on the house organ of Jules Haelling, and at Saint-Sever, Rouen, the Récit stopped flute is “Cor de nuit” and the Oboe, “Hautbois.” These facts give evidence that the “Sicilienne” may be earlier than the other movements from the Suite and confirm that both works were conceived with Louviers as reference.
Two examples of nonfunctional harmony from the Scherzo and the “Sicilienne” can provide a synopsis of the many stylistic similarities between these two pieces. (See examples 2 and 3: Scherzo measures 181–190, and “Sicilienne” measures 57–61).

Two works linked to Saint-Étienne, as rebuilt in 1928
In 1930 when Prélude, Adagio et Choral varié sur le thème du “Veni Creator,” Opus 4, won the composition prize of Les Amis de l’Orgue, Duruflé was but recently named to Saint-Étienne du Mont, where he had been substituting previously. This was not an instrument such as the monumental, hundred-stop Cavaillé-Coll at Saint-Sulpice played by his fellow Norman Marcel Dupré. Cavaillé-Coll’s Saint-Étienne rebuild of 1873 was succeeded by another in 1883. Renovations were continued by Théodore Puget in 1902 and in 1911 when the Récit was completed with a bass octave. Another rebuild was undertaken beginning in 1928 by Paul-Marie Koenig. This work continued for a time during Duruflé’s tenure, but was abandoned in April 1932. Though mechanically unreliable and unsatisfactory in other ways, Koenig provided 56-note manuals and a 32-note pedal, standard couplers, and a new manual order with the Grand Orgue on the bottom. The only known recital given in these years was by the blind organist Gaston Litaize in March 1931. After 1931 the organ went from bad to worse and ceased functioning sometime before it was dismantled for a rebuild by Debierre in April 1939. From then until 1956, Maurice Duruflé played the Puget choir organ.
The Prélude, Adagio et Choral varié sur le thème du “Veni Creator” is the first work using Duruflé’s familiarity with the organ of Saint-Étienne as reference. A tenor register solo of Récit Clarinette 8' with Nasard is requested. Though the organ did not yet have one in 1928, the replacement of the Cor with a Clarinet was intended as shown in the composer’s specification for Beuchet in 1938, which rebuild would have been with electric action and super-couplers.
On most French organs of the time, pieces like the “Final” of Opus 4 and “Prélude” and “Toccata” of Opus 5 that conclude at the top of the keyboard and request the use of super-couplers in those passages would actually have had no pipes in that range because there were no chest extensions. Therefore, when Duruflé was making requests for super-couplers he had never actually heard them. Perhaps his real-life experience in 1943 of super-couplers with chest extensions at the Palais de Chaillot for the premier of Prélude et Fugue sur le nom ALAIN, Opus 7, convinced him to omit requests for them from the blazing finale of that fugue. One wonders why the sub- and super-coupler indications in Opus 4 and Opus 5 were not among his revisions.
Among many connections linking Opus 4 and Opus 5 to Saint-Etienne are registrations that request Positif at 8' “Principal,” “Bourdon,” and “Salicional” and 4' “Prestant” rather than the generic French names. Saint-Étienne is the only organ he knew offering this precise combination.
Before the introduction of combination action, ventils were used to produce a crescendo. The reeds and mixtures stop knobs were drawn, but the ventil kept them from speaking until a foot lever (appel) was activated. Saint-Étienne was not equipped with a ventil for the Positif because of mechanical limitations. The Opus 4 “Final” begins with Récit mixtures and reeds, Positif foundations, Grand Orgue and Pédale foundation stops with “Anches et Mixtures préparés.” The crescendo calls first for the Positif mixture then separately the reed, followed at Largemente by Grand Orgue and Pédale reeds and mixtures. The drawing of Positif single stops is facilitated by rests in the manual parts, while rests in the pedal allow the use of the appel for the Grand Orgue and Pédale. Because both Notre-Dame de Paris and Saint-Clotilde had a Positif appel, Duruflé’s suggestions in contradiction of standard practice seem clearly intended for Saint-Étienne. Comparison of compass added to the analysis of composite registrations and specifications reinforces the pairings of Scherzo and “Sicilienne” to Louviers and Veni Creator and Suite to Saint-Étienne.
Opus 4 (Veni Creator) was substantially altered in August 1956, and the revised version was issued by the publisher from 1957 onward. There are extensive revisions of the climax, which though treating the same theme, has a much more rhythmically complicated and technically difficult accompaniment. Passages bear a very striking similarity to accompanimental figures in the orchestrated version of the Scherzo. As in the rewriting of the Scherzo da capo, the rewriting of the Adagio climactic section includes removal of interruptions to the crescendo, showing Neoclassic motivation. Tempo and registration revisions seem calculated to make the effect of the piece more homogenized.
A second enclosed division (Positif or Grand orgue) is another curiosity. There was an enclosed Grand orgue on the Haelling studio organ in Rouen where he had lessons in his youth, but he never had one on any organ of which he was titular nor any he designed. Yet, he suggests an enclosed Grand Orgue by a crescendo in the “Prélude” of Opus 4 and a decrescendo in the “Prélude” of Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d’ALAIN, Opus 7.
Although theoretical aspects of the compositional structure of the organ works may exceed the space limitations of this article, similar to the cadence preference of Duruflé in his choral works, third modulations are important. This is clearly demonstrated through the key relationships of the movements of the Suite, which progress by major thirds. The “Prélude” is in E-flat minor, the “Sicilienne” is in G minor and the “Toccata” is in B minor.

In conclusion
The examination of the original registrations of the pre-war works makes clear that when writing them, Duruflé’s model organ was highly influenced by nineteenth-century instruments with strings, celestes and harmonic flutes. His registrations are sometimes generic, such as “Anches” or “Fonds”; however, when specific—“Principal,” “Dulciana 4,” “Cor de nuit,” “Hautbois”—they have been shown to be references to two instruments: Louviers in 1926 and Saint-Étienne in 1928. The composite of the original registrations of the four major works requires 49 manual stops: four 16' flues, thirteen 8' flues, two 16' reeds and six 8' reeds. In the nineteenth century, Barker machines were used to divide the chest between foundations and the reeds/mixtures, which could be controlled by ventils. Cavaillé-Coll and other builders of the late nineteenth century used Barker lever-assisted playing action. The placement of the Positif manual below the Récit and above the Grand Orgue is consistent in all editions of the major works.
Tempo indications were altered in the printed versions. Tempo markings are generally less contrasting in revisions than in original versions. The composer’s ability to update the Scherzo while changing so few notes is quite adept, but the vignettes in the final statement recall the slower themes and intensify his original whimsical concept. The revisions of Opus 2 and Opus 4, and tempo changes, especially taken together with the less warm registrations, lead to this conclusion: in later life he wished them to sound more reserved and matter-of-fact. These “homogenizations” appear to have Neoclassic motivation.
Thus, in many ways, the first edition version of the organ works sounded quite different to his ears and those of his contemporaries when played on instruments of the period with their original Romantic registrations. Their tone and voicing was smooth. Their power was derived from reeds that were rich in fundamental. Unfortunately, most of the instruments Duruflé knew in 1919–1934 have been altered beyond recognition.
In his style there is nothing especially progressive, as one encounters in Stravinsky or Schoenberg. Duruflé was able to manipulate his Ravelian harmonies, Gregorian-like melodies, and contrapuntal textures to go to the very core of the listener’s life. For his is a music that eschews tantalizing the intellect but, in the interest of art, above all pleases the ear. To the end, Duruflé retained the same principles of creativity, which excluded nothing of human warmth. The organs of the turn of the century can inform the performer. The links are too close and too numerous to be coincidental. These are the ties that inextricably bind the works, both the last and the summit of Impressionist organ music, to the late Romantic organ tone for which they were written.

Notre-Dame, Louviers, John Abbey 1887/Convers 1926
I Grand Orgue (54 notes)
16' Montre
16' Bourdon
8' Montre
8' Flûte harmonique
8' Violoncelle
8' Gambe
4' Prestant
4' Dulciana
2' Doublette
Cornet
Plein jeu III
16' Basson
8' Trompette
4' Clairon

II Positif (54 notes)
8' Flûte
8' Bourdon
8' Salicional
8' Unda maris
4' Prestant
4' Flûte douce
22⁄3' Nasard
2' Doublette
8' Clarinette
8' Trompette

III Récit (54 notes)
8' Flûte
8' Cor de nuit
8' Gambe
8' Voix céleste
4' Flûte 4
22⁄3' Quinte
2' Octavin
13⁄5' Tierce
1' Piccolo
16' Cor anglais (free reed)
8' Trompette
8' Hautbois
8' Voix humaine

Pédale (32 notes)
16' Contrebasse
16' Soubasse
8' Flûte
8' Bourdon
16' Bombarde
8' Trompette

Saint-Étienne du Mont, Paris, Cavaillé-Coll 1883/Puget 1911/Koenig, 1928

I Grand Orgue (56 notes)
16' Montre
16' Bourdon
8' Montre
8' Bourdon
8' Flûte harmonique
8' Gambe
8' Flûte creuse
4' Prestant
2' Doublette
Plein-Jeu VI
Cornet V
16' Bombarde
8' Trompette
4' Clairon

II Positif (56 notes)
8' Salicional
8' Unda Maris
8' Bourdon
8' Principal
4' Prestant
4' Bourdon
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Doublette
Fourniture III
Sesquialtera II
8' Cromorne
8' Trompette

III Récit expressif (56 notes)
16' Quintaton
8' Cor de Chamois
8' Flûte
8' Gambe
8' Voix céleste
4' Flûte
4' Salicet
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Octavin
13⁄5' Tierce
Plein-Jeu III
8' Trompette
8' Cor
8' Basson-Hautbois
8' Voix humaine
4' Clairon

Pédale (32 notes)
32' Soubasse
16' Soubasse
16' Contrebasse
10' Quinte
8' Dolce

8' Flûte
4' Flûte
Carillon III
16' Bombarde
10' Trompette-Quinte
8' Trompette
4' Clairon

Saint-Étienne du Mont, proposed specification of 1938

I Grand Orgue
16' Montre
16' Bourdon
8' Montre
8' Flûte harmonique
8' Bourdon
5' Gros Nasard
4' Prestant
4' Flûte
22⁄3' Quinte
2' Doublette 2
Plein jeu II
Plein jeu IV
Cornet V
16' Bombarde
8' Trompette
4' Clairon

II Positif
8' Principal (timbre flûté)
8' Salicional
8' Bourdon
4' Prestant
4' Flûte à cheminée
22⁄3' Nasard
2' Quarte de Nasard
13⁄5' Tierce
Fourniture III
Cymbale III
8' Trompette
8' Cromorne
4' Clairon

III Récit expressif
16' Quintaton
8' Diapason
8' Flûte ouverte
8' Cor de nuit
8' Gambe
8' Voix céleste
4' Flûte
22⁄3' Nasard
2' Octavin
13⁄5' Tierce
1' Piccolo
Plein jeu IV
16' Bombarde-acoustique
8' Trompette
8' Clarinette
8' Basson-Hautbois
8' Voix humaine
4' Clairon
IV Écho expressif
8' Quintaton
4' Principal italien
2' Doublette
Terciane II (Tierce 13⁄5' et
Larigot 11⁄3')
Cymbale III
8' Hautbois d’Écho
4' Chalumeau

Pédale
32' Bourdon
16' Principal
16' Bourdon (ext)
10' Quinte
8' Principal
8' Flûte
8' Bourdon
4' Principal
4' Flûte
Grand Fourniture V
16' Bombarde
8' Trompette
4' Clairon

Composite of registrations of the Scherzo, Opus 2 (III 54/30) and “Sicilienne,” Opus 5b (III 54/31)

I Grand Orgue exp
8' Montre
8' Flûte
8' Flûte harmonique
8' Gambe
8' Salicional
4' Dulciane
III/I, II/I
III/I 16'

II Positif exp (middle manual)
8' Flûte harmonique
8' Flûte douce
8' Bourdon
8' Dulciane
4' Bourdon

III Récit exp
8' Flûte
8' Cor de nuit
8' Gambe
8' Voix céleste
4' Flûte
22⁄3' Nasard
2' Octavin
8' Hautbois
8' Clarinette
8' Voix humaine
Trémolo

Pédale
32' Soubasse
16' Soubasse
16' Bourdon
8' Flûte
8' Bourdon
III, II, I/Péd

Comparison of composite registrations derived from first editions of Veni Creator, Opus 4, and “Prélude” and “Toccata” from the Suite, Opus 5.

Opus 4         Opus 5
56/30           58/31

I Gd. Orgue        I Gd. Orgue
Montre 16           Fonds 16
Bourdon 16
Montre 8             Fonds 8
Bourdon 8
Fl. harm. 8
Prestant 4             Fonds 4
Quinte
Fond 2
Mixtures               Mixtures
Anches 16, 8, 4     Anches 16, 8, 4
                            (Bombarde 16)
III/I, II/I 8, 4         II/I, III/I 8, 4
III/I 16                 III/I, II/I 16

II Positif exp         II Positif
Bourdon 16
Fonds 8
Principal 8          Principal 8
Salicional 8         Salicional 8
Flûte 8

Bourdon 8           Bourdon 8
Prestant 4            Fonds 4
Fond 2
Mixtures             Mixtures
Anches 8, 4         Anches 8, 4
Clarinette 8
III/II                 III/II

III Réc. exp         III Réc. exp
Fonds 16
Fond 8                 Fonds 8
Flûte 8
Bourdon 8             Bourdon 8
Gambe 8
Voix céleste
Fond 4                 Fonds 4
Flûte 4
Nasard
Fond 2
Octavin
Mixtures                Mixtures
Anches 16, 8, 4
Trompette 8         Tpt douce 8
Hautbois 8            Basson 8
Clarinette 8
V. humaine 8
Clairon 4
Trémolo

Pédale                 Pédale
Fonds 32
Flûte 32
Bourdon 32
Fond 16               Fond 16
Flûte 16
Soubasse 16         Bourdon 16
Fond 8                 Fond 8
Flûte 8
Bourdon 8           Bourdon 8
Flûte 4                Flûte 4
Anches 32–4        Anches 32–4
                        (Bombarde 32)
I,II,III/Péd         I,II,III/Péd
II,III/Péd 4         II,III/Péd 4

Joseph Ermend Bonnal, a French Organist-Composer: His Quest for Perfection (Part 2)

Carolyn Shuster Fournier

An international concert artist and musicologist, Carolyn Shuster Fournier is titular of the Aristide Cavaillé-Coll choir organ at La Trinité Church in Paris, France (cf. www.shusterfournier.com). Dr. Shuster Fournier was recently awarded the distinction of Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters. This is her fourth article to appear in The Diapason.

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On June 15, Tournemire played the final “Alleluia” movement in a concert at Sainte-Clotilde that was broadcast live on Paris Radio.
In 1931, the Institut de France had awarded Bonnal the Charles Berthault Prize with 500 francs. Bonnal, however, was looking for other financial awards for his compositions. On March 29, 1932, he admitted in a letter to Tournemire that the private music lessons he gave did not at all cover his expenses:

. . . et vous n’êtes pas là pour m’encourager . . . Je desespère parfois! . . . Alors, je m’endette terriblement . . . et je ne sais ce que je vais devenir.

[ . . . and you are not there to encourage me . . . I sometimes become desperate! . . . Then, I am deeply falling into debt . . . and I don’t know what will happen to me.]

He even began to apply for other posts as a conservatory director in Belfort and in Aix (where he was refused). On February 3, 1932, Bonnal wrote to Tournemire to express his gratitude and ongoing support:

sans doute ma destinée est-elle de mourir à Bayonne. Je m’en réjouirais au reste si ma situation y était en rapport avec mes charges familiales. Je vous remercie de tout Coeur de l’aide précieuse qu’une fois encore (après tant d’autres!) vous m’avez généreusement et cordialement consentie.

[without doubt my destiny is to die in Bayonne. I would really be thrilled if my position was in keeping with my family expenses. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the precious aid (after so many others) which you have so generously and cordially granted.]

On April 25, Bonnal admitted to Tournemire that he was behind schedule and that he hoped to send something to the next competition of the Amis de l’Orgue. In May, 1932, Bonnal composed at Amentcha his most monumental work: his Symphonie d’après “Media vita,” Répons du temps de la Septuagésime in C-sharp minor. Maurice Duruflé played it during the second “Amis de l’Orgue” composition competition, which took place at Saint-François Xavier Church in Paris on June 20, 1932. This time, Bonnal won First Prize and received 4,000 francs. The members of the jury were Gabriel Pierné (president), Alexandre Cellier, Maurice Emmanuel, Arthur Honegger, Paul Le Flem, Henri Mulet, Henri Nibelle, Achille Philip, Gustave Samazeuilh, Florent Schmitt, and Canon François-Xavier Mathias. An honorable mention was granted to André Fleury for his Prélude, Andante et Toccata, and congratulations were given to Daniel-Lesur for his work La Vie intérieure.
Bonnal’s symphony is a free paraphrase in three movements that correspond to the following texts from Septuagesima Sunday, the first of three Sundays before the Lenten season:

1. In the midst of Life we deal with Death. To whom can we turn if not to You, Savior, who has suffered so much for our sins.
2. Holy and Merciful Savior, do not deliver us to a bitter death. Our fathers have hoped in You, and You have delivered them.
3. Our fathers have cried toward You; they cried, and they were not disappointed. Holy God, God full of strength, do not deliver us to a bitter death.
The first movement, rather slow and very calm, presents two themes: the first one is contrapuntal; the second is like a chorale. In the second movement, a luminous trio—a sort of colorful arabesque (with the Positive Nazard, Flute 4' and Tierce 13⁄5' in the right hand, the Swell 8' foundation stops in the left hand and the Pedal 8' and 4' stops)—seems to express the hope mentioned in the text; after a section on the Swell Voix Celeste with a Flute 4' in the Pedal, the piece ends on an A-flat major chord with a quiet 16' in the Pedal. The third movement, which uses themes from the other movements, becomes increasingly flamboyant, leading to a free, lyrical second melody on the Positive Clarinet 8', followed by an arabesque on the Great Harmonic Flute 8'. After a progressive crescendo with the theme announced tutti in the Pedal, two measures of silence and a brief return to the Clarinet solo, there is a final distressful cry. Bonnal dedicated this work to his friend Joseph Bonnet who greatly appreciated it:
Ta nouvelle œuvre est magnifique, d’une grande profondeur de sentiment d’une haute sérénité musicale et poétique. Tu as tiré un parti excellent de la mélodie si belle et traduit les sentiments exprimés par le texte littéraire sous l’âme d’un grand artiste chrétien. Ton œuvre, comme toutes les précédentes du reste, témoigne d’une haute sincérité humaine et artistique.35

[Your new work is magnificent, a very deep, peaceful expression of great musicality and poetry. You have brought out the best in the beautiful melody and translated the feelings contained in the literary text as expressed by a great Christian artist. Your work, like all of your previous ones, testifies to an utmost human and artistic sincerity.]

In this same letter, Bonnet advised Bonnal to contact the publisher Leduc, who, thanks to Bonnet’s intervention, published this work in 1933. Bonnet played this symphony on numerous occasions, notably for a mass at Saint-Eustache Church in Paris on January 28, 1934. He also recorded it for the BBC. Encouraged by these successes, which placed him in the upper ranks of the French organ scene, Bonnal participated in a series of eight recitals organized by the Amis de l’Orgue on the Mutin organ at Saint-Bernard College in Bayonne.

His adherence to the neo-classical organ
Around 1930, Bonnal had been appointed titular organist at Saint-André Church in Bayonne, a neo-Gothic church built 1856–1869. The 32-stop, three-manual organ was built in 1863 by the Wenner et Götty firm from Bordeaux (Georges Wenner and Jacques Götty founded their firm in Bordeaux in 1848). This organ was a gift to the city from Napoléon III. When a vault collapsed above the organ loft in December 1895, Gaston Maille, who had taken over the Wenner firm in 1882, restored this symphonic organ from 1898 to 1902; an electric blower was installed probably during the 1920s. (See photo 3.)
In 1933, Bonnal supervised the restoration of this instrument by Victor Gonzalez, in collaboration with André Marchal, who had a home in Hendaye, and Norbert Dufourcq, much of whose family lived in Labastide-Clairence, a village about 20 kilometers from Bayonne. Bonnal described its neo-classical aesthetic:
on the Swell, we added a Plein-Jeu II and a Clairon that came from the Positive; on the Positive, some new stops were installed: Nazard, Doublette and Tierce, replacing the Gambe, Trompette and Clairon; for early music, the Clarinet was transformed into a Cromorne . . . The deteriorated pneumatic elements were replaced with a modified tubular system which provided more rapid and perfect precision . . .36
Finally, this 35-stop instrument was entirely revoiced to give more fullness to the foundation stops and more distinction to the reed stops. (See photo 4.)

Saint-André Church, Bayonne
Wenner et Götty / Maille (1902) / Gonzalez (1933)

I. GRAND ORGUE (56 notes)
16' Montre
8' Montre
8' Bourdon
8' Flûte Harmonique
4' Prestant
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Doublette
Plein-Jeu IV
Cornet V (C3)
16' Bombarde
8' Trompette
4' Clairon

II. POSITIF (56 notes)
16' Bourdon
8' Principal
8' Bourdon
8' Salicional
4' Flûte
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Doublette
13⁄5' Tierce
8' Cromorne

III. RÉCIT (56 notes)
8' Cor de nuit
8' Violoncelle
8' Flûte Harmonique
8' Voix Céleste
4' Flûte Octaviante
2'/1' Plein-Jeu II
8' Voix Humaine
8' Basson-Hautbois
8' Trompette Harmonique
4' Clairon

PÉDALE (30 notes)
16' Flûte
8' Flûte
16' Bombarde
8' Trompette

Combination Pedals: Thunderstorm Pedal, G.O./Péd, Pos/Péd, Réc/Péd; Pos./G.O., Réc/G.O.; Réc./Pos; Réc/G.O. 4, Pos/G.O. 16. To activate the Reeds: on the Réc, Pos and G.O. To activate the G.O. keyboard. To activate the Pos Mixtures; Réc Tremulant.

Pistons under the G.O. keyboard: Soft Foundation stops, Foundations 8 and 4, Foundations 8, 4 and 2, Tutti Plein-Jeu, General Tutti.

Bonnal performed the inaugural recital on September 27, 1933:

I.
J. S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue
A Sarabande grave by François Couperin
Father Martini’s Gavotte (for the new “carillon-like stop” [the Swell Plein-Jeu II])
N. de Grigny’s Trio en dialogue (utilizing the Cromorne stop)
D. Buxtehude’s Fugue in C major

II.
C. Franck’s Third Choral
Tournemire’s L’Orgue mystique, Op. 57 (nos. 1–4), which had been dedicated to him
Joseph Bonnet’s Epithalamé, Op. 5 (1909)
E. Bonnal’s Cloches dans le ciel (first public performance).
On November 8, 1933, Bonnal’s organ students gave another concert:

Irène Darricau performed two pieces by J. J. Lemmens
Jeanne Larre (Vierne)
Renée Gemain (Franck)
Marylis Bonnal [his daughter] (a piece by Périlhou)
Mady Galtier, the organist at the Saint-Charles Church in Biarritz (a Bach Fugue)
Christian d’Elbée (Franck’s First Choral)
Ermend Bonnal (his own Paysages euskariens).

This beautiful organ has remained unchanged to this day and was classified as a historical monument in 2001. According to the present titular organist, Etienne Rousseau-Plotto, in addition to the French symphonic repertory, French organ music from the 1930s sounds absolutely spectacular on this organ.37
In 1933, the same year as the restoration of the Saint-André organ in Bayonne, Tournemire had requested the Société Cavaillé-Coll firm to modify his own historic 1858 A. Cavaillé-Coll organ at Sainte-Clotilde Basilica in Paris. According to an article by Bérenger de Miramon Fitz-James,38 following the reinauguration of this organ on June 30, 1933, the following ten stops had been added to this instrument: a Cornet on the Grand-Orgue; a Tierce and a Piccolo on the Positif; a Quintaton 16', a Nazard, a Tierce, a Plein-Jeu IV and a Bombarde on the Récit; and a Bourdon 16' and a Quinte 51⁄3' in the Pedal. The wind pressure was lowered on the Positif, the Positif Unda Maris was transformed into a Salicional, and the Positif Clarinet was moved to the Récit. In addition, a new console was installed with three 61-note manuals and a 32-note pedalboard, along with numerous pedal combinations. Following this restoration, a series of seven benefit recitals was given to help cover the restoration expenses. On March 22, 1934. Bonnal ended the fourth concert, given with the following artists who performed their own works:

Daniel-Lesur – La Vie intérieure
Olivier Messiaen – Diptyque
André Fleury – Prélude, Andante, Toccata
Maurice Duruflé – Adagio and Choral varié on the “Veni Creator”
Ermend Bonnal – Symphonie sur le Répons “Media Vita”

In 1934, Bonnal was awarded the Prix Durand (with Guy Ropartz) as well as the Grand Prix of a wine competition in Bordeaux for his Hymn au Vin. Bonnal then gave a series of prestigious organ concerts. On March 28, 1936, he performed a recital on Emile Bourdon’s organ at the Monaco Cathedral. On September 1, 1936, he inaugurated, with André Marchal, the organ restored by Victor Gonzalez at the Bayonne Cathedral. On January 28, 1937, he performed his own La Vallée du Béhorléguy au matin in the eighth concert of La Spirale at the Schola Cantorum, with his fellow colleagues: Jehan Alain (Suite), Olivier Messiaen (Jules Le Febvre’s Prélude, Aria et Final and selections from his La Nativité du Seigneur [Les Bergers, La Vierge et l’Enfant, and Les Anges]); Daniel-Lesur premiered his own Cinq Hymnes; Jean Langlais, his own Hommage à Francesco Landino and Mors et resurrectio; and André Fleury, his own Deux mouvements (Très lent and Vif et agité). How exciting it must have been to attend this concert! On April 26, 1937, Bonnal inaugurated the Debierre organ in the Preparatory School at the Aire-sur-Adour Seminary.
In the mid 1930s, both Bonnal and Tournemire were drawn to St. Francis of Assisi. On July 19, 1933, Bonnal had thanked Tournemire for having sent him his Fioretti pieces:

J’admire qu’après le monument qu’est l’Orgue mystique vous puissiez écrire d’autres pièces en renouvelant encore votre style. Une telle abondance dans sa richesse est une chose magnifique et si rare qu’on ne l’avait pas vue depuis Bach! Quel haut exemple vous êtes pour nous: vos disciples! Donc merci mon bon maître et ami d’être la lumière qui nous aide à avancer dans la voie difficile, mais belle!

[I admire that after the monument which is the Orgue mystique that you can write other pieces while continually renewing your style. Such a rich abundance, so magnificent and rare, has not been seen since Bach! What a noble example you are for us, your disciples! Therefore, thank you my dear master and friend to be such a light which helps us to advance on the difficult but beautiful path.]

A year and a half later, on May 7, 1935, Bonnal’s Franciscan Poems39 were performed in a concert at the Grand Théâtre in Bordeaux, broadcast live on the radio. That same year, Tournemire and his second wife, Alice, became members of the third order of Saint Francis of Assisi. In 1937, Tournemire finished a theatrical work that crowned his career: Il Poverello di Assisi, Op. 73 (five lyrical episodes in seven scenes on a text by Joséphin Péladan).40 Both Bonnal’s and Tournemire’s two monumental works, centered around this great saint, certainly prepared the way for Olivier Messiaen’s future opera Saint François d’Assise (1983).

His positions in Paris
In 1938, the French Institut awarded Bonnal the coveted Prix Lassere for his compositions. On September 3, 1939, the Second World War broke out. On November 3, Tournemire died mysteriously, leaving the organist post vacant at Sainte-Clotilde Basilica in Paris. However, since the government had closed the church (which was located just across from the Ministry of War) for fear of bombings, no successor was named. Bonnal did indeed write a text for L’Orgue in homage of Tournemire, entitled “L’Homme et L’Oeuvre,” which was published in March, 1940.41
In the summer of 1940, Sainte-Clotilde Basilica reopened. The organ was played during services by Bernard Schulé (1909–1996), an organ student of Joseph Bonnet who was the titular at the British Embassy Church since 1935 and who had substituted at Sainte-Clotilde for Tournemire since fall 1938. Schulé was a close friend of both Norbert Dufourcq and André Marchal.42
In 1941, Bonnal returned to live in Paris, where he was appointed to work with Henri Busser as Inspecteur Général de l’Enseignement Musical à la Direction des Beaux-Arts [General Inspector of Musical Education for the Direction of Fine Arts] throughout France. Dufourcq then organized a competition to determine Tournemire’s successor at Sainte-Clotilde. It was supposed to take place on December 20, 1941, precisely at 1:30 p.m. According to the announcement, the public was invited to attend with free admission; the church was to be heated. The candidates (Jean Langlais, Antoine Reboulot, and Daniel-Lesur) were to improvise a prelude and fugue and the verses of a hymn and to perform a work each by Bach, Franck, and Tournemire. Daniel-Lesur, who was supported by Olivier Messiaen, was hoping to compete. However, this competition was cancelled, due to the fact that many of the possible candidates were held as prisoners or were demobilized in the free zone during the war, thereby preventing them from coming to Paris to officially apply for this post. This was, in any case, Daniel-Lesur’s situation. On December 14, 1941, Norbert Dufourcq wrote a letter to Jean Langlais, informing him that the competition would occur at a later date.43
Then it was decided that an interim organist would be designated at Saint-Clotilde until a competition could be held after the war. When Sainte-Clotilde reopened in February, 1942, Canon Verdrie, the church priest, named Bonnal as titular without a competition, due to his fame as a well-known and respected musician who had been highly recommended by Count Bérenger de Miramon Fitz-James. After his nomination to this prestigious post, Bonnal thus became the successor to his lifelong friend and professor, Charles Tournemire.44 According to Bonnal’s daughter Marylis, numerous prominent musicians encouraged him to accept this post (notably Norbert Dufourcq, Béranger de Miramon Fitz-James, André Marchal, Noëlie Pierront, Gaston Poulet, René Calvet). Bonnal rarely remained in Paris since he often traveled throughout France to inspect conservatories. Thankfully, Schulé was able to substitute for him. (See photo 5, page 28.)
Bonnal felt that making music in French conservatories during this tragic time represented a sign of hope for the future. He encouraged students to maintain the following objectives:

D’abord le travail et la discipline dans l’effort: c’est à dire les deux ferments qui forgent, grandissent et trempent les caractères, purifient et annoblissent les ambitions. Ensuite: la recherche constante de la qualité. Songez qu’il ne doit pas vous suffire d’être d’excellents virtuoses possédant de sérieuses qualités techniques, il vous faut devenir d’authentiques musiciens.
La musique vous la découvrirez dans la pratique quotidienne, dans la fréquentation permanente des grands musiciens, des Bach, Mozart et Beethoven, pour n’en citer que trois parmi les plus grands. Vous devez par la méditation fréquente, essayer d’entrer en communion avec l’âme de ces grands humains qui furent de très grands penseurs. N’en jouer, même parfaitement, que le texte musical, c’est n’en connaître que la lettre, mais cela ne suffit pas, il vous faut en rechercher l’Esprit.
Soyez donc très ambitieux spirituellement et vous aurez un jour la surprise de découvrir la musique là où elle se trouve, en son seul domaine qui est celui des mouvements de l’Ame, de la connaissance humaine . . . en un mot: de la poésie!
Je n’ai jamais oublié ce mot admirable que me dit un jour mon cher ami Paul Dukas: “il n’y a pas d’art sans poésie.”45

[First of all, one must work and discipline one’s efforts: this will forge, expand and solidify one’s character, purify and ennoble one’s ambition . . . Constantly search for quality; it’s not enough to be an excellent virtuoso with a serious technique, you must become authentic musicians.
You must daily discover the great musicians: Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, to mention only these three among the greatest. Through frequent meditations, you must try to enter in communion with the souls of these great people who were very great thinkers. It does not suffice to play the musical text perfectly, this only allows you to know the letter; you must look for the Spirit.
Dare therefore to be spiritually ambitious and you will one day be surprised to discover that music belongs to the exclusive field . . . of poetry!
I’ll never forget the admirable words of my dear friend Paul Dukas who told me one day: “There is no art without poetry.”]

During the war, Bonnal took his vacations each August at Saint-Sever (in the Landes). He stayed in the home of Father Binsoll, the priest in Arièle, a nearby village. Each day, Bonnal visited his dear friends Ambroise Dupouy (organist at the Abbatial Church in Saint-Sever since 1840—who was responsible for the installation of its beautiful A. Cavaillé-Coll organ there in 1898—who died at the end of World War II), and his son Jean Dupouy (1896–1965), who succeeded him. Ambroise Dupouy’s daughter Jeanine, born in 1922, took daily lessons with Bonnal and her father. She has testified to Bonnal’s rigorous and severe approach, emphasizing his noble ideas and his meticulous care concerning details of touch, phrasing and fingering.
At the beginning of his summer vacation in 1844, Bonnal gave an organ concert with Jean Etchepare’s Double Vocal Quartet at Saint-André Church in Bayonne on Monday, July 31, 1944 at 3:45 p.m. This may seem like an odd time to give a concert, but this was due to the fact that many of the organ concerts in churches at that time served as an introduction and a conclusion to the exposition and benediction of the Holy Sacrament. Bonnal’s eclectic programs combined classical music with the popular traditional Basque repertory:

J. S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue (in D minor)
C. Franck: First Choral
A Basque Cantique (sung by the Double Vocal Quartet)
C. Franck: Second Choral
E. Bonnal: Joie et Joie for a men’s choir, set to a text by Loÿs Labèque
C. Franck: Third Choral
Improvisation on a given theme (by E. Bonnal)

E. Bonnal: O Salutaris
Josquin des Près: Ave Vera Virginitas
E. Bonnal: Tantum Ergo (in the Basque style) (sung during the exposition and benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament)
To conclude, Bonnal played J. S. Bach’s Chorale on the Veni Creator (most certainly his Fantasia super “Komm heiliger Geist, Herre Gott,” BWV 651).

Following this concert on July 31, Bonnal went to Saint-Sever to rehearse for a “Grand Concert Spirituel” that he was planning to give on Friday, September 8, 1944, at the Abbatial Church there, in collaboration with the Calvet Quartet and the Parish Schola directed by the organist Jean Dupouy. The proposed program:

I.
J. S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue (in D minor)

II.
N. de Grigny: Trio en dialogue
F. Couperin: Sarabande grave
N. Clérambault: Dialogue du 1er Ton
Cl. Balbastre: Noël (“Joseph est bien marié”)

III.
Händel: Sonata (in D major) for organ and violin (with Joseph Calvet)

IV.
E. Bonnal: Paysage landais
Noël landais
Improvisation (on a given theme)

V.
Maurice Ravel: Quatuor (played by the Calvet Quartet during the exposition and benediction of the Holy Sacrament)
At the end, Bonnal had programmed C. Franck’s Final.

During his visits to rehearse in Saint-Sever, the following photo was taken (See photo 6).
Unfortunately, Bonnal’s deteriorating health, due to his many personal sacrifices and concerns during the war, provoked a stroke that led to his death in Bordeaux, on August 14, 1944. This occurred just two and a half years after his appointment to Sainte-Clotilde46 and only twelve days after Joseph Bonnet’s own death.47 In the midst of the liberation of Paris, Bonnal’s daughter Marylis learned about her father’s death while listening to the radio! During this difficult time, Bonnal was buried in Bordeaux.
In 1945, Bonnal’s wife Hélène moved with her young children to Anglet. She survived, thanks to the generosity of an American organist, Mr. MacEvans, who was an officer in the American Army. He also directed a choir at the American University in Biarritz. To this day, Bonnal’s family is still extremely grateful for Mr. MacEvans’ kindness. In addition, André Marchal gave several benefit concerts for Bonnal’s family. On September 18, 1949, at Saint-André Church in Bayonne, with the singer Madame Malnory-Marsillac, the program included works by Bach, Couperin, Franck, Tournemire, and Bonnal (the second movement of his “Media Vita” Symphony). On May 15, 1952, Marchal performed another concert on the Saint-André organ in Bayonne, in Bonnal’s memory, with commentaries by Norbert Dufourcq, for the Jeunesses Musicales de France. This group was highly promoted in the Basque region by Bonnal’s very close friend, Joseph Calvet. Marchal’s eclectic program displayed the various tonal colors of this organ:

Louis Couperin - Chaconne in G minor
François Couperin – “Kyrie,” 5 verses from the Mass for the Parishes
J. S. Bach – Chorale: Christ lag in Todesbanden
C. Franck – Prélude, Fugue et Variation
Louis Vierne – “Final” from the First Symphony.
In 1975, Ermend Bonnal’s body was transported from Bordeaux to the Arcangues cemetery, in the Pyrenees mountains, an area he loved dearly. For this occasion, Henri Sauguet rendered homage to Bonnal’s positive inspiration on his own personal career as well as his contribution to 20th-century French music. Sauguet evoked Francis Jammes’ poem written in homage to Ermend Bonnal:

Taillé dans le dur bois d’un chêne harmonieux,
Ton pur profil, Bonnal, se confond avec l’orgue;
Mais de nous déchiffrer le silence des cieux
Ne te remplis jamais de vile et sotte morgue.
Comme aux astres, le jour, voilés par leur pudeur,
L’ombre est ce qui convient à ta noble carrière.
Ah! que tombe la nuit, et toute ta splendeur
Saura la consteller de notes de lumières.

[Carved in the hard wood of a harmonious oak tree,
Your pure profile, Bonnal, is merged with the organ;
But we must fathom the silence of the heavens
Which never fills you with a vile and foolish arrogance.
Like the stars, during the day, veiled by their modesty,
Darkness is most suitable to your noble career.
Ah! May the night fall, and all of your splendor
Will spangle it with enlightened notes.]

Conclusion
Joseph Ermend Bonnal belonged to a generation of artists from Bordeaux who possessed a high degree of moral perfection in their art and in their personal lives. They all shared a common, spiritual artistic vision, devoid of material ambitions, only desiring to serve music with deep, devoted love and passion. Inspired by the renewal of both traditional and early music, Bonnal formed numerous musical societies to promote this repertory. He left us an important heritage of deeply poetical pieces inspired by the rich culture of the Basque region. The intact organ at Saint-André Church in Bayonne testifies to his adherence to the French Neo-Classical organ. A prominent composer, music educator and administrator, a first-rate improviser and performer, Bonnal was indeed a dignified successor to his master and friend, Charles Tournemire, as titular organist at the Sainte-Clotilde Basilica in Paris. Bonnal served his art with humility. In spite of the numerous obstacles he encountered during his lifetime, Bonnal’s noble aspirations, along with the faithful support of his friends, enabled him to pursue his ongoing quest for perfection.

Acknowledgements
Carolyn Shuster Fournier warmly expresses her gratitude to: Mayette Bonnal, François and Marylis Raoul-Duval (members of Bonnal’s family), Madame Catherine Massip and Madame Vallet-Collot of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Cécile Auzolle, Madame Marie-Françoise Romaine Brown-Bonnet, Aurélie Decourt, Madame Janine Dupouy, Brigitte de Leersnyder, Jacqueline Englert-Marchal, Adolphine and François Marchal, Yannick Merlin, Etienne Rousseau-Plotto Marie-Christine Ugo-Lhôte, and to the Ruth and Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund for its grant in 2006.

New Organs

Default

Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc.,

Warrensburg, Missouri

SkyRose Chapel, Rose Hills
Memorial Park, Whittier, California

Opus 46

 

SkyRose Chapel, in the Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier,
California, is located on a hill overlooking Los Angeles and the San Gabriel
and Sycamore Valleys. SkyRose Chapel is situated within beautifully landscaped
gardens that also do duty as a cemetery--SkyRose Chapel is the largest funeral
chapel in the world. Renowned architects Fay Jones and Maurice Jennings designed
SkyRose Chapel to be built of oak, Oregon redwood, bouquet canyon stone,
Douglas fir, and glass in a contemporary A-frame style that is at home in the
hills which the afternoon sun turns a vibrant rose color. SkyRose Chapel has
become popular as an attractive venue for weddings as well as for funerals.

The installation of a pipe organ in SkyRose Chapel had
always been the dream of Dennis Poulsen, Chairman of the Board of Rose Hills
Memorial Park. This dream was researched and brought to fruition by Mr. Poulsen
and Bruce Lazenby, Vice President of Engineering of Rose Hills Memorial Park.

The Rose Hills Foundation selected Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc.,
to build the pipe organ for the strikingly lovely SkyRose Chapel. The Quimby
pipe organ, Opus 46, has 65 ranks together with harp and chimes spread over
four manuals and pedal. The distinctly American design is eclectic in
conception and enables the instrument to perform a wide range of service and
organ literature. Messrs. Poulsen and Lazenby requested Michael Quimby, Tonal
Director, to design a tonal specification that would handle the diverse musical
demands required for funeral services, weddings, and recitals.

The instrument contains an unusually high proportion of
celeste ranks, and also a very high proportion of color reeds. The reeds in the
Solo division include several historic Skinner and Aeolian-Skinner ranks--the
Tuba Mirabilis (1924), French Horn (1946), English Horn (1946) and Corno di
Bassetto (1946). These ranks are included in the pipe organ on their original
windchest and reservoir. Also noteworthy are the 1924 Deagan "Class
A" Chimes and the restored 1929 Skinner Harp, both on their original
restored electro-pneumatic actions.

The electric blowers winding the organ amount to a total of
eleven and one-half horsepower, supplying wind at pressures ranging from
4" for the Choir division to 15" for the Tuba Mirabilis. There are
fourteen reservoirs and four schwimmers. The main chests, built by Quimby Pipe
Organs, Inc., are slider windchests built to the original Blackinton design
fitted with electro-pneumatic pallets. The Swell, Choir and Solo divisions have
68-note chests, providing additional topnotes for use with the octave couplers.
Electro-pneumatic unit chests are used for the offsets and extended ranks.

Quimby Pipe Organs' Opus 46 is located in an elevated
gallery near the rear of SkyRose Chapel. The visual presentation of the pipe
organ is of oak casework containing thirty-eight zinc façade pipes with
gold-colored mouths drawn from the Pedal 32' Principal and Great 16' Violone
ranks that are placed on platforms of escalating heights above the floor of the
gallery as well as nine oak pipes positioned along the side of the case. The
longest façade pipe, approximately 26' in length, is low G of the 32' Principal. The wood pipes along the side of the case are part of the Pedal 16' Bourdon rank. The Pedal 32' Posaune is full length, and is located behind the exposed wood pipes.

Quimby Pipe Organs' woodworkers constructed the case and
console in their workshop. Quimby Pipe Organs' designer and woodworkers
designed the oak organ case and console in consultation with Fay Jones and
Maurice Jennings in order to ensure an appearance in harmony with the
architecture of the Chapel. Harris Precision Products, Inc., of Whittier,
California, manufactured the console components and shipped them across the
country to Warrensburg where Quimby's woodworkers installed them in the
console. The console was then shipped back with the organ to Whittier! The
instrument is controlled by a multiplex relay with MIDI, including full
playback capability, and a combination action with 99 memory levels.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> 
There are eight pistons to each
division and eighteen general pistons, together with three ensemble pistons,
three programmable Crescendo settings, and numerous reversibles.

Members of Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc., who made significant
contributions to the construction of the SkyRose instrument included Doug
Christie, Chris Emerson, Charles Ford, Johanna Harrington, Eric Johnson, Kevin
Kissinger, Brad McGuffey, Michael Miller, Gary Olden, Michael Quimby, Wayne
Shirk, Stan Sparrowhawk, Elizabeth Viscusi, and Randy Watkins.

Dr. Frederick Hohman presented the pipe organ to the public
in the dedicatory recital of the SkyRose organ on Saturday, September 20th,
1997.

--Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc.

GREAT (unenclosed)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Violone
(1-14 façade)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Diapason
(1-7 from Ped Principal)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Principal

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Violoncello
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Harmonic
Flute (1-12 from 8' Bdn)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Bourdon

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Octave

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Koppel
Flute

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Quint

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Super
Octave

                  11⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Mixture IV

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bombarde
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Tuba
Mirabilis (Solo)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette
Harmonique

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trumpet

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cromorne
(Choir)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clarion
Harmonique

                                    Tremolo

                                    Chimes
(Solo)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Harp
(Solo)

                                    Tower
Chimes (prepared for)

                                    MIDI
on Great

SWELL (enclosed)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Gedeckt

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gedeckt
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viola

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viola
Celeste

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Salicional

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Voix
Celeste (GG)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Principal

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Nachthorn

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viola
(ext)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viola
Celeste (ext)

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Rohr Nasat

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Octave

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flageolet

                  13⁄5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Tierce

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Plein
Jeu IV (2' rank from Octave)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Hautbois

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Hautbois
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Vox
Humana

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Vox
Mystique (Vox Humana, box closed)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clarion
(ext)

                                    Tremolo

                                    Chimes
(Solo)

                                    MIDI
on Swell

CHOIR (enclosed)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Silver
Flute (1-12 digital)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flauto
Mirabilis (Solo)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gamba
(Solo)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gamba
Celeste (Solo)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Rohr
Flute

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gemshorn

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Melodia
(1-12 from Rohr Flute)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Silver
Flute (ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Silver
Flute Celeste (TC)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Principal

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Orchestral
Flute (Solo)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Spitz
Flute

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Silver
Flute (ext)

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Nazard

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Octave

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Block
Flute

                  13⁄5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Tierce

                  1'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Mixture
III

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Cromorne

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette
Harmonique (Great)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cromorne
(ext)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clarion
Harmonique (Great)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Tuba
Mirabilis (Solo)

                                    Tremolo

                                    Chimes
(Solo)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Harp
(Solo)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Celesta
(Solo)

                                    MIDI
on Choir

SOLO (enclosed)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contra
Gamba (1-12 digital)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flauto
Mirabilis

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gamba
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gamba
Celeste

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Orchestral
Flute

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gambette
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
English
Horn

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
French
Horn

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Corno
di Bassetto

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Tuba
Mirabilis

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clarion
Tuba (ext)

                                    Tremolo

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Harp

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Celesta
(ext)

                                    Tower
Chimes (prepared for)

                                    Chimes
(20 tubes)

                                    MIDI
on Solo

PEDAL (unenclosed)

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Sub
Principal (1-7 digital, 8-31 façade)

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contra
Bourdon (1-12 digital)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Principal
(ext)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Violone
(Great)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bourdon
(ext)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Gamba
(Solo)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Gedeckt
(Swell)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Silver
Flute (Choir)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Octave
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Violoncello
(Great)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viola
Celeste II (Swell)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Bourdon
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gedeckt
(Swell)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Choral
Bass

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Bourdon
(ext)

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Mixture IV

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contra
Posaune (full length, ext Great Trumpet)

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contra
Basson (1-12 digital, ext Swell Hautbois)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Posaune
(ext Great Trumpet)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bombarde
(Great)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Hautbois
(Swell)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Cromorne
(Choir)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Tuba
Mirabilis (Solo)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trumpet
(Great)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette
Harmonique (Great)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Hautbois
(Swell)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clarion
(ext Great Trumpet)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Hautbois
(Swell)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cromorne
(Choir)

                                    Chimes
(Solo)

                                    MIDI
on Pedal

Lively-Fulcher Organbuilders, Alexandria, Virginia

St. Olaf Catholic Church,
Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

In 1997, Fr. John Forliti, Pastor of St. Olaf Church,
appointed Dr. Merritt Nequette and a parish committee to lead an organ project
at the church. The committee enlisted the services of Jonathan Biggers as organ
consultant. After a thorough study, Lively-Fulcher Organbuilders of Alexandria,
Virginia was chosen to build the new instrument which was installed and
completed in July, 2001.

The organ was inaugurated in a series of concerts in 2002
beginning with a service of blessing by Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, Archbishop
of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and organ recital performed by Dr. Lynn Trapp,
director of worship and music, organist, at St. Olaf Church, on February 9,
2002.  A hymn text by Delores
Dufner, OSB was commissioned for the occasion.

The series of inaugural concerts featured a recital and
masterclass by Swiss organist, Guy Bovet; a program of organ and contemporary
music with Twin Cities artists; Pipedreams Live hosted by Michael Barone of
Minnesota Public Radio and performers of the Liturgical Organists Consortium;
field days for elementary students to learn about the king of instruments; and
an organ and orchestra concert with Jonathan Biggers, organist, and the Kenwood
Chamber Orchestra, orchestra in residence at St. Olaf Church, conducted by Ken
Freed. This concert included the premiere of a commissioned work for organ and
orchestra composed by Richard Proulx.

The instrument has 61 stops and 67 ranks (49 independent
registers) playable over five divisions, Grand Orgue, Récit Expressif,
Positif Expressif, Bombarde and Pédale. The manual and pedal key actions
make use of electric slider windchests and the stop action is electric, complete
with state of the art combination action, 256 levels of memory and a sequencer.
The wind supply is regulated by a traditional bellows system linked to the wind
chests by wooden wind lines. The console is built in a low profile, curved jamb
configuration to enhance the organist's ability to follow the liturgy and
conduct the choir. The console has natural keys covered in bone and sharp keys
of solid ebony. The internal layout of the divisions within the organ case
places the Positif Expressif centrally in the lower middle of the case and the
Grand Orgue above that with the Récit Expressif behind the Grand Orgue.
The Bombarde reeds are located in the Positif box and the Pédale
division is divided on either side of the manuals and behind the 16-foot pedal towers
in the case. Wood pipes were made in the organbuilders' workshop and metal
pipes were made to their specifications in Germany.

The casework, constructed of African mahogany, takes its
inspiration from the contemporary architecture of the room and has simple
Scandinavian design elements yet a firm traditional layout. The façade
pipes are made of 72% tin and include pipes from the Grand Orgue Montre 16',
Montre 8' and Pédale Montre 8'. The organ is completely housed within
its own freestanding casework and because of the deep gallery around three
sides of the room is positioned at the front center of the church. A
Cymbelstern stop is provided on the instrument and the church's tower bells can
be played from the Récit keyboard.

The design of the pipe shades for the instrument is tied to
the rich traditions associated with St. Olaf. They are made of basswood with
patterns of dragons, eagles and serpents which are found in the Book of Kells.
These designs are slightly earlier than King Olaf's time, but they are strong
Scandinavian symbols from the period. The cross piercing the crown is based on
an 8th-century piece made for St. Rupert. The crown motif was specifically
chosen to represent St. Olaf and the crosses and crowns are covered with
24-carat gold leaf.

The tonal inspiration for the instrument is firmly based in
19th-century France but is designed and voiced with a broad literature base in
mind. The Tutti is robust to support large choirs, orchestra, and the singing
of a capacity crowd of worshipers. The organ has a wide variety of soft colors
as well. The broad foundation tone of the 8-foot stops and thick-walled
expressiveness of the Récit and Positif boxes ensure the accompanimental
versatility necessary for the performance of choral and solo literature. The
warm yet clear broadly scaled principal chorus work, blended with the mutations
and reed colors associated with Clicquot and Cavaillé-Coll, make for a
versatile medium for the main body of the organ literature. The voicing and
blending of individual stops coupled with the color requirements of French,
German and English literature allow the convincing performance of a wide range
of literature. This instrument is not meant as a copy of any one style nor is
it intended to be a collection of styles trying to do everything, but rather is
intended to be a modern instrument of the 21st century speaking with its own
voice.

--Lynn Trapp

 

GRAND ORGUE

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Montre

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Montre

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
à cheminée

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
harmonique

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Violoncelle

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Prestant

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
ouverte

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Quinte

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Doublette

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Fourniture
V

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clairon

                                    Tremulant

                                    Octaves
graves

                                    Récit
sur G.O.

                                    Positif
sur G.O.

                                    Bombarde
sur G.O.

POSITIF EXPRESSIF

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Montre

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Bourdon

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
douce

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
celeste

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Prestant

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
conique

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Nazard

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Doublette

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Quarte
de nazard

                  13⁄5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Tierce

                  11⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Larigot

                  1'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Fourniture
IV

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cromorne

                                    Tremulant

                                    Octaves
graves

                                    Récit
sur Positif

                                    Bombarde
sur Positif

                                    Positif
unison off

RÉCIT EXPRESSIF

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bourdon

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Diapason

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viole
de gambe

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Voix
céleste

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cor
de nuit

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Prestant

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
octaviante

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Octavin

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Plein
Jeu IV

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Cornet II

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Basson

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette
harmonique

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Hautbois

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Voix
humaine

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clairon
harmonique

                                    Tremulant

                                    Octaves
graves

BOMBARDE (floating)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Tuba
magna (ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Tuba
mirabilis

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cor
harmonique (ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cornet
V (tg)

PÉDALE

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contre
soubasse (electronic)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Grosse
flûte

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Montre
(G.O.)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Soubasse

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bourdon
(Récit)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Montre

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
(ext)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Bourdon
(ext)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Prestant
(ext)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flûte
ouverte (ext)

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Fourniture IV

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contre
bombarde (ext)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bombarde

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Basson
(Récit)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clairon
(ext)

                                    Tirasse
Bombarde

                                    Tirasse
G.O.

                                    Tirasse
Positif

                                    Tirasse
Récit

 

G.O./Positif manual transfer

Chimes sur G.O.

Tower Bells sur Récit

Cymbelstern

Pedal & Manual pistons coupled

Sequencer

 

Weston Harris and Thomas J. McDonough, Organ Crafters of
Los Angeles
, have completed a
three-manual, 38-rank organ at St. Augustine By-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Santa
Monica, California.  The organ
incorporates elements from the church's previous organ built in 1967 by Abbott
and Sieker Organ Builders as well as the historic Möller/Estey organ at
Bridges Hall of Music, Pomona College (recently replaced by Fisk Opus 117).
Other pipework was donated from the private collection of Mr. Joseph Horning, a
prominent Los Angeles organist and organ consultant who died in 2000.

The church is located at the popular Third Street Promenade
at Santa Monica Beach Pier. The organ enjoys a high gallery placement in an
extraordinary acoustical setting. Given this exceptional location, the new
organ's tonal style is based largely on the 1948 Aeolian-Skinner organ of the
Salt Lake City Tabernacle, where Mr. Harris studied organ performance and
apprenticed in organbuilding. The voices are gentle, and choruses finely
layered.

The previous organ (see photo) was installed in 1967 as a
temporary instrument for the new church following the arson burning of the
church's historic 1867 building. The new organ case forms the Positiv Organ
featuring pipes from the Bridges Hall of Music (front tower pipes) and wood
Holzgedeckt pipes. The flute pipes were obtained from a burnt-out church in
nearby Venice, California. They were barely rescued--being quickly pulled from
their windchest just as the wrecking ball was knocking through the chamber
walls. The fire scarring on the pipes provides an extraordinary antique patina
for the new organ case design.

--Weston Harris

 

GREAT (enclosed)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Diapason

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Bourdon

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Augustine
Flute

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flute
Celeste

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Octave

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Forest
Flute

                  22⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Twelfth

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Fifteenth

                                    Mixture
IV

                                    Cymbale
III

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Cromorne

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trumpet

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clarion*

                                    Tremulant

                                    Gt/Gt
16-4

SWELL (enclosed)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Geigen
Principal

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Rohr
Flute

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viola

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Viola
Celeste (TG)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Principal

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flute
d'Amour

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Octavin

                  11⁄3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>     
Mixture III

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bassoon
(1-12 extension)*

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Trompette

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Oboe

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clarion

                                    Tremulant

                                    Sw/Sw
16-UO-4

POSITIV (unenclosed)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Principal

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Holzgedeckt

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Principal*

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Gedeckt*

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Principal*

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Oboe
(Sw)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Mounted
Cornet IV (TG)

                                    Pos/Pos

                                    Pos/Gt

                                    Tower
Bells (8 Whitehall bells)

STATE TRUMPET (unenclosed)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
State
Trumpet*

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
State
Trumpet

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
State
Trumpet*

                                    Trumpet
to Gt

                                    Trumpet
to Sw

                                    Trumpet
to Pos

PEDAL (enclosed in Great)

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contra
Bourdon*

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Dolce
Gedeckt*

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Principal

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bourdon

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Lieblich
Gedeckt (1-12 ext)*

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Diapason

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Bourdon*

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flauto
Dolce (Sw)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Choral
Bass*

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Flute*

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Contra
Posaune*

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Posaune
(1-12 extension Gt Trumpet)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         
Bassoon
(Sw)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Posaune
(Gt)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
State
Trumpet*

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            
Clairon
(Gt)

 

Full interdivisional couplers

*indicates unification

New Organs

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Cover

An organ built by J.L. van den Heuvel
style='font-weight:normal'>, Dordrecht, the Netherlands, has been installed at
the Church of the Holy Apostles, New York, NY. Originally installed at Castle
Shiloah, Fairview, TX, it was relocated by the Organ Clearing House, and
revoiced by Rosales Organ Builders. When a fire destroyed the Church of the
Holy Apostles in 1990, it also destoyed the church's Casavant organ. The parish
entered into an agreement with Rosales Organ Builders for a new instrument. As
the restoration of the building consumed available funds, it became apparent
that the congregation could no longer afford the new organ. In an effort to
make the best use of monies available, Rosales agreed to explore alternatives.
In 1991, Joseph and Marla Mooibroek of Fairview, TX, commissioned J.L. van den Heuvel
to build an organ for their home. The organ was installed in Castle Shiloah in
1994. In 1996 the Mooibroeks decided to sell their residence and organ. Manuel
Rosales examined the organ and notified Holy Apostles about its availability.
The Organ Clearing House, Alan Laufman, executive director, moved the organ to
its new home. After the two-month reassembly, Manuel Rosales revoiced the organ
for its new environment. The organ is housed in a Dutch Baroque-style case with
detailed sculpture and carvings. Tonally it is in early French romantic style.
The Organ Clearing House staff, Alan Laufman, executive director, included
Amory Atkin, Terence Atkin, William Dixon, Whitney Flecher, George Gibson,
Richard Hamar, Scott Huntington, and Joshua Wood. Manuel Rosales was assisted
by Peter Batchelder, Timothy Fink, and Scot Huntington. Donald Joyce is music
director of the church. Compass is 61/32. The nave of the church is used each
day for one of the parish's outreach programs--the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, which
serves over 1,000 meals per day. Photo by Amy Reichman.

GRAND ORGUE

16' Bourdon

8' Montre

8' Flûte a cheminée

8' Flûte harmonique

4' Prestant

2' Doublette

 Plein Jeu III-V

 Cornet IV (MC)

8' Trompette

 Tremblant

Pos/G.O.

Réc/G.O.

RÉCIT

8' Flûte traversière

8' Viole de Gambe

8' Voix céleste

4' Flûte Octaviante

2' Octavin

8' Basson-Hautbois

8' Voix Humaine

Tremulant

POSITIF

8' Bourdon

8' Salicional

8' Unda Maris

4' Flûte à fuseau

22/3' Nasard

2' Flageolet

13/5' Tierce

1' Piccolo

8' Clarinette

8' Trumpet Royal (horizontal)

   Tremulant

  Chimes

  Zimbelstern

  Réc/Pos

PÉDAL

32' Bourdon (electronic)

16' Soubasse (1-24 G.O.)

8' Flûte

8' Violoncelle

16' Basson

4' Chalumeau

  G.O./Péd

  Pos/Péd

  Réc/Péd

Bond Organ Builders, Inc., Portland, OR, has completed the restoration of the organ at St. Mary's
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also in Portland. The organ was
originally built in 1904 by the Los Angeles Art Organ Co., opus 42, under the
direction of Murray M. Harris, for Holy Cross Catholic Church in San Francisco.
It was severely damaged in the 1906 earthquake. Falling debris largely
destroyed the Great and Choir divisions; the original Fleming windchests for
these divisions were replaced by new chests of the Spencer design. Repairs were
carried out by a local firm using new pipes, windchests, and other parts
supplied by Murray Harris. Some original stops survived, notably the Great 16'
and 8' Diapasons, most of the 4'Octave, and the Doppel Flute, as well as the
Choir Melodia. The Great Second Open Diapason was added at this time, and the
Choir tremolo deleted. By the 1980s, the organ was in need of a complete
restoration; nevertheless, it was heard at the 1988 OHS convention. The church
was damaged again by the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, and the parish closed
at that time. In 1995, the Archdiocese of Portland acquired the organ.
Disassembly and removal from Holy Cross Church began in September, 1995.
Smaller internal parts were carried by hand down a narrow staircase from the
balcony. Windchests, pedal pipes, reservoir, etc., were too large to handle in
this manner. A crane was erected outside the church, a hole was broken in the
roof just large enough to allow the crane hook to pass into the building, and
the large parts were lowered to the floor.

Restoration began with a thorough cleaning. All parts of the
original patented electro-pneumatic action were retained and restored,
including releathering. All pipes were washed and voiced for the new room.
Damaged pipes were repaired, missing pipes replaced. Front casework and console
were well preserved; it was necessary only to clean and repair scratches. Side
casework was re-engineered to provide access to the mechanism inside and
strengthened. The console mechanism was retained in its entirety, including 10
combination pedals. Stenciling on the facade pipes was copied, the pipes
stripped, and new paint applied using the original design. After much
deliberation, it was decided to add Mixtures to the Great and Swell, as well as
a Pedal 16'  Trombone. The
additions were carried out after study of extant mixtures and trombones built
by Murray Harris. 41 ranks, 37 stops.

GREAT

16' Double Open Diapason

8' Open Diapason

8' Open Diapason (2nd)

8' Viola da Gamba

8' Viola d'Amour

8' Doppel Flute

4' Octave

22/3 Octave Quinte

2' Super Octave

Mixture III-IV*

8' Trumpet

SWELL

16' Bourdon

8' Violin Diapason

8' Viol d'Orchestre

8' Aeoline

8' Voix Celeste

8' Stopped Diapason

4' Fugara

4' Harmonic Flute

2' Flautina

                        Cornet
IV*

8' Oboe

8' Vox Humana

                        Tremolo

CHOIR

8' Geigen Principal

8' Dulciana

8' Melodia

4' Violina

4' Flute d'Amour

2' Harmonic Piccolo

8' Clarinet

PEDAL

32' Resultant*

16' Open Diapason (wood)

16' Bourdon

16' Lieblich Gedeckt (Sw)

8' Violoncello

8' Flute Stop'd

16' Trombone*

*additions by Bond

Berghaus Organ Company, Inc., Bellwood, IL, has built a new organ for Trinity Lutheran Church,
Faribault, MN. The new organ comprises 23 ranks (1,263 pipes) on two manuals
and pedal. Slider windchests are used for the Great, Swell, and Pedal
divisions, with an all-electric action windchest for the Trompete stop. The
movable oak console has keyboards of maple naturals and rosewood sharps. Stops
and couplers are controlled by tilting tablets placed above the top keyboard.
Preparations have been made for future installation of MIDI. The Swell division
is located in wooden chambers to the left and under expression. Great division
is to the right of the Swell, and the Pedal is housed in a chamber behind the
Great.

GREAT

8' Principal

8' Rohrfloete

4' Octave

4' Spillfloete

22/3' Nasat

2' Hohlfloete

13/5' Terz

IV Mixtur

8' Trompete

                        Tremulant

                        Chimes

                        Zimbelstern
(prep)

SWELL

8' Gedackt

8' Viola

8' Celeste

4' Spitzfloete

2' Principal

11/3' Quinte

III Scharf-Zimbel (prep)

8' Schalmei

Tremulant

8' Trompete

PEDAL

16' Subbass

8' Offenbass

4' Choralbass

II Rauschquinte (prep)

16' Still Posaune

8' Trompete

4' Trompete

Temple Organs, St.
Joseph, MO, has rebuilt the 1968/1986 Wicks organ at West Hills Presbyterian
Church, Omaha, NE. All original pipework was retained in new casework of oak
trim over birch panels, painted to match the church walls. A new 3-manual
console includes an Artisan control system, with preparation for future digital
additions. The Principal, Octave, and Subbass form the facade. The low octave
of the 16' Trumpet, by Killinger, was added as a donation by one of the
church's organists, Dr. Ted Holyoke. Music director is Dwaine Price.

Analysis

16' Subbass (44 pipes)

16' Gedeckt (97)

8' Principal (61)

8' Geigen (73)

8' Gemshorn (61)

8' Gemshorn Celeste (77)

8' Bourdon (73)

4' Octave (73)

22/3' Twelfth (61)

16' Trompette (85)

8' Oboe (61)

                        Chimes
(25 tubes)

GREAT

8' Principal

8' Bourdon

8' Gemshorn

4' Octave

22/3' Twelfth

2' Fifteenth

Mixture III

8' Trompette

Chimes

Couplers

SWELL

16' Gedeckt

8' Geigen Principal

8' Rohrgedeckt

8' Gemshorn

8' Gemshorn Celeste

4' Prestant

4' Bourdon

22/3' Quinte

2' Blockflöte

13/5' Tierce

Scharf III

16' Trompette

8' Trompette

8' Oboe

4' Clarion

Tremulant

Couplers

CHOIR

Digital preparation

10 knobs

Couplers

PEDAL

16' Subbass

16' Lieblich Gedeckt

8' Principal

8' Pedalflöte

4' Choralbass

4' Rohrflöte

2' Super Octave

Mixture III

16' Trompette

8' Trompette

8' Fagotto

4' Clarion

2001 Summer Institute for French Organ Studies

by Arthur Lawrence

Arthur Lawrence is Librarian and Archivist of the Union League Club, Organist and Choirmaster of the Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal), and a member of the organ faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, all in New York City. He was Editor of The Diapason from 1976 to 1982.

Default

Since 1985, the Summer Institute for French Organ Studies (SIFOS) has given American organists a unique opportunity to play and study historic French organs in depth. Unlike the more usual organ tours, which enroll many people and visit a large number of instruments briefly, this institute is restricted to five or six participants and spends a week each at an eighteenth-century organ in Souvigny and at a nineteenth-century one in Lyon. In addition to attending daily classes on the instrument and the literature appropriate for it, each person has at least one daily practice session at the organ. It is, I believe, the only such institute that affords this kind of opportunity to learn from the extensive playing of the instrument itself, an experience not otherwise possible. It illustrates well the adage that the organ has a great deal to teach the player.

 

Founded by organbuilder Gene Bedient of Lincoln, Nebraska, and organist Jesse Eschbach of the University of North Texas at Denton, SIFOS now operates in alternate summers. The most recent sessions took place July 16-27, 2001, and were very well organized; every effort had been made to ensure that all went as it should. The participants ranged from advanced graduate students to professionals long in the field; they were Parker Kitterman (Lewisburg, Georgia), Arthur Lawrence (New York, New York), James Livengood (Dallas, Texas), Margaret Mulvey (Dallas, Texas), Jane Smith (Portland, Oregon), and Stephen Warner (Ann Arbor, Michigan). In this congenial group, all demonstrated good keyboard facility, interest in learning, and enthusiasm for playing the instruments.

Souvigny

Souvigny-sur-Alliers is a beautiful small town ten kilometers west of Moulins, in the predominantly agricultural area of the Auvergne, at the north edge of the Massif Central. It is a peaceful refuge from commercialism; in addition to the Priory Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and the attached museum occupying a former monastery building, there are a few stores and restaurants, a school, the town hall, a police station, and a post office. Of course, there are also private residences, some of which housed the participants, all of whom had local hosts. A place well off the tourist track, this village is ideal for a week of quiet study.

In 916, Aymard, a magistrate of the Duke William the Pious of Aquitaine and forebear of the Bourbon kings, ceded land to the Abbot of Cluny to establish several Benedictine monasteries in the surrounding area of Bourbonnais. The construction of the Priory Church, now at the center of Souvigny, began in 994, and papal legate Pierre Damien consecrated the original Romanesque building on August 10, 1063. The importance of this church at the time of the First Crusade under Pope Urban II necessitated its enlargement in 1095. Two bell towers were added at the beginning of the thirteenth century, other changes and additions took place during the seventeenth century, and a new west façade was constructed in the eighteenth century.

Inasmuch as the church at Cluny was destroyed early in the nineteenth century, the Souvigny church is now the finest remaining example of a priory church from the Cluny epoch. The central nave, flanked by double columns and side aisles, is a little more than 260 feet in length; with double transepts near the crossing, the total width is just under 90 feet.

After functioning as a typical twentieth-century parish for many years, this church since 1991 has been administered by brothers of the Congregation of Saint Jean, a Dominican order founded in 1978. Today, in addition to the celebration of the Mass, daily offices (although not the complete historical spectrum) are observed, to which the faithful are summoned by the joyful ringing of the tower bells.

The Clicquot Organ

The organ, located in the gallery, was built by François-Henri Clicquot in 1782-83 and has interior inscriptions of 25 May 1782 and 1783. Despite an 1887 repitching by organbuilder Goydadin in which pipes were moved down a half-step and equal temperament was effected, the instrument is in remarkably original condition. (On August 26, 1880, Joseph Merklin had submitted a proposal to do restoration work, noting that the instrument was one of Clicquot's best and the only one remaining without having been subjected to modification. His proposal to leave the organ without substantial change was not accepted.) In 1962, Philippe Hartmann placed it in a mildly unequal temperament, although the original would have been meantone. From a cosmetic standpoint, the only change seems to have been that the original parchment tags giving the stop name under each drawknob were at some point removed in favor of drawknobs with inset porcelain faces bearing the stop names. The organ was classified as a national monument historique in 1947, the same designation for the case following in 1975.

The main case, containing speaking pipes of the Montre and the Pédale Flûte 4', has towers on each side, with a lower one in the middle, outlining the rose window above and behind the organ. Carved angel musicians crown the towers, which are separated by two flats of pipes. In this case are the pipes of the Grand-Orgue, with those of the short-compass Récit above in the center, and those of the Pédale in the side towers. The case of the Positif-de-dos follows the same pattern on a smaller scale, but with only one flat between towers and urns surmounting them. There is barely room between the two cases for the recessed console and bench over the classic-style pedalboard.

The winding system was replaced by a single horizontal  bellows in 1887, the first item on Goydadin's proposal. In 1977, Mr. Hartmann reconstructed the original system of three cuneiform bellows, using Clicquot components which had been preserved. The bellows are raised in alternation by an electric motor controlled by a sophisticated computer application installed in 1995 by Philippe Klinge. The wind pressure is approximately 80 mm.

Because of the location of Souvigny, the organ has probably not received the same attention it would have had in a more metropolitan setting, but it is by no means unknown. Alexander Dumas visited in October 1834  and praised the sound of the organ. Félix Danjou admired it in 1840 and Hamel in 1845. In more recent times, the Association Saint-Marc commissioned a new composition by Guy Bovet, who performed and recorded here. The organ has also been recorded by Henri DeLorme.

 

Positif (I) (C1, D1-D5)

                  8'             Bourdon

                  8'             Dessus de Flûte (C2)

                  4'             Prestant

                  22⁄3'      Nazard

                  2'             Doublette

                  13⁄5'      Tierce

                                    Plein-jeu V

                  8'             Trompette

                  8'             Cromorne

Grand-Orgue (II) (C1, D1-D5)

                  8'             Montre

                  8'             Bourdon

                  4'             Prestant

                  22⁄3'      Nazard

                  2'             Doublette

                  2'             Quarte de Nazard

                  13⁄5'      Tierce

                                    Cornet V (C3)

                                    Plein-jeu VI

                  8               Trompette

                  8'             Voix Humaine

                  4'             Clairon

Récit (III) (C3-D5)

                  8'             Bourdon

                                    Cornet IV

                  8'             Hautbois

Pédale (C1-A2, flues)

Pédale (F0, G0-A2, reeds)

                  8'             Flûte

                  4'             Flûte

                  12'          Trompette

                  6'             Clairon

 

Tremblant fort (not presently operating)

Tremblant doux

Accouplement à tiroir ( Pos/G.O. shove coupler)

 

Except for the oak bottom octave of the Grand-Orgue Bourdon and the Pédale Flûte 8', all pipes are metal, either a high percentage of tin or common metal (thirty percent tin, seventy percent lead). The bourdons are chimneyed. The scales of the cornets and the jeux de tierces are very similar and rather wide. Because of the extended range of the pedals, what would have been 8' and 4' reed stops are actually 12' and 6', providing substantial bass. After more than two hundred years, the pipes have oxidized but that does not affect the quality of the sound they produce.

The design of the action--typical of this type of French organ--places the pallet box at the front of the windchest, allowing the suspended key action of the Grand-Orgue and Pédale to work efficiently. The keys are not bushed but have guide pins on either side, beyond the playing surface. It takes a bit of doing to become accustomed to this, so as to avoid excess lateral motion and unwanted noise, but once mastered, the keyboards are friendly. The manual shove coupler is similar to a dogleg coupler on a harpsichord; when the coupler is engaged, a piece of wood atop the Positif key is in physical contact with the Grand-Orgue key above it. The coupler can be activated while one is playing on the Positif. The Positif key action is conveyed by backfalls and passes very compactly under the pedalboard and bench to the windchest, which is immediately behind the organist.

This is an organ from which one learns by playing--what blends with what, what works in ensemble, how to depress the keys to get the best reed sound, as opposed to how to depress the keys for the flues. One of my colleagues wrote in the inscription book that he'd learned more in a week here than in four years at college. Playing this organ is also an experience in auditory delight, because every sound is satisfying and beautiful, and the big ensembles are thrilling. Both the mounted cornets and those drawn from separate ranks are exquisite in color and fullness. The grand jeu is exceptional in its grandeur and power. For me, each hour at this organ was one to be savored, albeit one which passed much too quickly.

Even though this is still a French Classic organ, it is a late one and it betrays signs of developments to come: there is no larigot, there are no 4' flutes, the 8' rank of the Récit Cornet draws separately, and there is an open flute on the Positif--a particular harbinger of the nineteenth century. This flute, in fact, is a small principal. In general, the smallest number of stops gives the best effect. For instance, the grand jeu needs only the reeds and the mounted cornet; the jeu de tierce is redundant and only consumes wind unnecessarily.

A typical day for the SIFOS participants began with a lecture by Mr. Bedient on some aspect of the history and design of the instrument, with pipes, action, winding, and tuning and temperament being the main areas of discussion. There were several opportunities to look inside the organ, to view the pipework and the action. We also examined several of the original pipes which had been removed when the organ was repitched.

That first hour was followed by a longer session at the organ, in which titulaire Henri DeLorme listened to several people play, coaching them in the style and making observations about the music. Mr. DeLorme, who studied with Michel Chapuis at the Strasbourg conservatory, is a very intuitive musician with a keen ear. He knows the Souvigny organ and its literature intimately, and is well positioned to instruct others in all aspects of playing the French Classic organ. He is also an excellent improviser in the style of the period, which he demonstrated extensively the first day to acquaint us with the organ. His effusive personality is infectious, instilling joy in organ playing.

A grand three-course luncheon followed at an excellent local restaurant, with the afternoon and early evening being devoted to individual practice sessions or enjoying the local scenery.

At the conclusion of the week, the Association Saint-Marc sponsored a well-attended public recital by the participants, with receptions before and afterward. This association of local organ lovers is active in support and promotion of the Souvigny organ. The recital consisted of Clérambault, five movements from the Suite in the Second Tone (Lawrence); D'Aquin, Noël sur les flûtes (Mulvey); D'Aquin, Noël grand jeu et duo (Livengood); Couperin, two movements from the Convent Mass (Smith); Balbastre, Marche guerrière (Warner); and Couperin, Offertoire from the Parish Mass (Kitterman). Except for the Balbastre, the music predated the organ, but it all sounded most appropriate on this magnificent instrument. The audience was enthusiastic in its applause for the performers, the organ, and Mr. DeLorme's witty verbal program notes.

Lyon

We left Souvigny behind, as a fast and efficient train took us through the bucolic countryside which gradually became mountainous, until we reached Lyon a few hours later. Arriving on Sunday afternoon, we found France's second-largest city fairly warm and a little sleepy, but the city sprang to life with great vitality the next morning.

Our activities took place in the part of the city that developed on the peninsula between the Rhône and Saône Rivers, opposite both the old city dating from Roman times to the west and the sprawling modern suburbs to the east. We were conveniently housed a block from the church at the Hotel Résidence on a pedestrian shopping street which bustled with activity all day and well into the evening. As in Souvigny, we ate well, but this time in various restaurants in the evening.

The nineteenth-century church of  Saint-François-de-Sales is nestled in the midst of this area. The edifice is surrounded by other buildings on two sides, with a small park on the third, and the street on the fourth. The main entrance, at the street edge of the park, is surmounted by a bell tower. The interior is cruciform in shape, with pews in the nave and the two transepts, the altar on a platform in the center, and the organ behind the altar, at the far end of the choir. The windows in the dome over the crossing light the whole area below.

The Cavaillé-Coll Organ

The immense organ façade is visually commanding.  At the impost level are three large flats; above this are two smaller flats on either side of a central tower, which crowns the case. Flanking the whole are two pedal towers, which, like the smaller central tower, are surmounted by rich wooden carvings. The remaining space beside each pedal tower is filled by another smaller flat. Unlike most large French organs, it is placed on the main floor, where the whole area is protected by an electronic alarm, installed to guard this monument historique. It is said that the first organ in this church was high in the rear gallery and that Aristide Cavaillé-Coll was asked to build a modest-sized instrument at the other end. Although having only three manuals and forty-five stops, this installation of 1879 is monumental both in sound and sight. It is a twin to the one built for the Brussels Conservatory. Like Souvigny, it is in relatively original condition.

François-Charles Widor (1811-99), father of Charles-Marie, was an organist and organbuilder, as was his father. He assisted in the installation of a four-manual, forty-eight-stop Callinet organ at Saint-François-de-Sales in 1838, played the inaugural recital, and became organist of the church. Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) grew up here and was later sent to Brussels to study with Lemmens, through the influence of Cavaillé-Coll (who had also sent the young Alexandre Guilmant to the same teacher). Charles-Marie returned to Lyon to play the dedication at Saint-François in 1880, probably playing his recently-composed Fifth Symphony which had been premiered the previous year in Paris. The principal organist since 1974 has been Louis Robilliard, who has made a number of recordings here.

The tonal design of this organ pays some homage to the past--the Plein Jeu and Grand Jeu exist on the Grand-Orgue, and there is a Cornet on the Récit. The Grand-Orgue mixtures are classical in design, after Dom Bédos, not the progressive mixtures which Cavaillé-Coll had promoted in previous decades. Improvised versets were still played when this organ was built, but the free works of Bach were also in demand. The enclosed Positif is the most remote from the Classic period; there is no principal chorus and no reed battery. The Carillon, of which this is an early and controversial example, is good chiefly for bell effects; it is 22⁄3' in the bass but 13⁄5' plus 1' in the treble. Each manual has at least one harmonic flute and each enclosed division has a celeste. Every division has reeds, with a 16'-8'-4' ensemble on the Grand-Orgue and the Récit, and 16'-8' on the Pédale. Compared to previous times, the pipes have more nicking and more open toes.

A tour of the interior of the instrument reveals a spacious layout. At floor level directly behind the console are the Grand-Orgue and Positif Barker machines, containing the pneumatic levers which work the key action, permitting the organist to control higher wind pressures and larger, multiple pallets without unduly taxing the fingers. They have glass doors for sound proofing. Above them is the unison coupler mechanism, while the sub-octave coupler mechanism, which works by angled backfalls,  is below them. At the back on this level is the winding system, including the original pumping stations where one stood on a large protruding lever to activate the feeders at the bottom of the bellows. The Cummings-style reservoirs are in a double, connected set, each with inverted ribs; the earlier evolution from cuneiform bellows to horizontal ones had increased the wind capacity by one hundred per cent. There are additional anti-concussion reservoirs above this assembly and above the Barker machines. The wind pressures range from approximately 85 mm to 92 mm, with divided pressures between the bass and treble on the Grand-Orgue.

In keeping with the generous spacing of components, one ascends to the upper levels by wooden staircases, not by ladders! At the second level is the Grand-Orgue at the front, with the enclosed Positif behind it, where its sound is less prominent. At the top of the next staircase is the Récit, in a commanding position which crowns the installation. Its Barker machine is in front, clothed in a large muffler to deaden the sound of its operation.

The design of the windchests is particularly interesting, especially from an American perspective. Reading books on the history of organ construction leads one to think that the ventil system--a designation not employed by the French, who instead specified appel--requires separate windchests for the flues (Jeux de Fonds) and for the reeds (Jeux de Combinaison). (See, for instance, Peter Williams, A New History of the Organ, p. 173.) Cavaillé-Coll, from Saint-Dénis onward, did indeed use multiple windchests on each division, but this was in order to provide varying wind pressures in different parts of the scale. The division of flue and reed stops in a given register, however, is made on a single windchest which has an internal barrier running down the middle of the chest, with pallets on each end of the channel. Thus, the organist can draw flues and reeds, activating the reeds and upperwork only when the proper pedal is depressed, which then admits air to the portion of the windchest which houses the reeds and upperwork.

The detached, reversed console is laid out with terraces of drawknobs on either side of the keyboards, going from the Récit at the top, the Positif next, then the Grand-Orgue, and finally the Pédale. In general, the flues are on the right, with the reeds and upperwork on the left.  The coupler and ventil controls (Pédales de Combinaison) are placed above the pedalboard, as indicated in the specifications. The use of these combination pedals is an essential part of playing this organ.

 

Grand-Orgue (I) (C1-G6)

Jeux de Fonds

                  16'          Principal

                  16'          Bourdon

                  8'             Montre

                  8'             Salicional

                  8'             Flûte Harmonique

                  8'             Bourdon

                  4'             Prestant

                  4'             Flûte Douce

                                    Jeux de Combinaison

                  2'             Doublette

                                    Fourniture IV

                                    Cymbale III

                  16'          Bombarde

                  8'             Trompette

                  4'             Clairon

Positif-Expressif (II) (C1-G6)

Jeux de Fonds

                  8'             Nachthorn

                  8'             Flûte Harmonique

                  8'             Dulciane

                  8'             Unda Maris

                  4'             Flûte Octaviante

                                    Jeux de Combinaison

                  2'             Doublette

                                    Carillon I-III

                  8'             Trompette

                  8'             Basson

                  8'             Clarinette

Récit-Expressif (III) (C1-G6)

Jeux de Fonds

                  16'          Quintaton

                  8'             Diapason

                  8'             Bourdon

                  8'             Flûte Harmonique

                  8'             Viole de Gambe

                  8'             Voix Céleste

                  4'             Flûte Octaviante

                  8'             Voix Humaine

                  8'             Basson-Hautbois

                                    Jeux de Combinaison

                  2'             Octavin

                                    Cornet V (C3)

                  16'          Basson

                  8'             Trompette

                  4'             Clairon

Pédale  (C0-F2)

Jeux de Fonds

                  32'          Basse Accoustique

                  16'          Contre Basse

                  16'          Soubasse

                  8'             Flûte

                  8'             Violoncelle

                                    Jeux de Combinaison

                  16'          Bombarde

                  8'             Trompette

Pédales de Combinaison

(in order from left to right)

1               Effets d'Orage

2               Tirasse Grand-Orgue

3               Tirasse Positif

4               Tirasse Récit

5               Anches Pédale

6               Octaves Graves Grand-Orgue

7               Octaves Graves Positif

8               Octaves Graves Récit

9               Trémolo Positif (above 7 and 8)

10            Expression Positif (balanced pedal)

11            Expression Récit (balanced pedal)

12            Anches Grand-Orgue

13            Anches Positif

14            Anches Récit

15            Trémolo Récit (above 12 and 13)

16            Copula Grand-Orgue sur Machine

17            Copula Positif sur Grand-Orgue

18            Copula Récit sur Grand-Orgue

19            Copula Récit sur Positif

 

The daily morning class was structured much as at Souvigny, with Mr. Bedient's information on the organ itself, Dr. Eschbach's material on the music, and the playing of the participants. Individual practice time occupied the afternoons and early evenings. Late night practice was prohibited, since the sound of the organ carries into the neighboring buildings. Being in such a large, historic city provided countless opportunities for sightseeing and shopping in whatever time was left.

Although Jesse Eschbach's masterclasses and coaching were exemplary, it was his lectures that were outstanding. He provided a wealth of information on the organs, organists, and organ music of nineteenth-century France, drawn from many well-researched sources. This provided a valuable background for the performance of the music at hand. His forthcoming publication of much of this material is awaited with great interest.

Playing this organ is a physical challenge. The manual keys are large and go down a fair distance, much more so than on a Classic instrument. But the requisite aspect of performance is in the setting and manipulation of the combination pedals. The Copula Grand-Orgue sur Machine must be down in order to have any sound; the other pedals must be set according to the requirements of the music. However, one need only follow literally the directions written in the score: doing exactly what is written in an authentic edition of a Franck piece yields the desired combinations.  All the composers who received Cavaillé-Coll's heritage used this system: Franck, Guilmant, Widor, Vierne, Tournemire, Dupré, Langlais, Litaize, Messiaen, and many others. Interestingly, in our classes and recital, assistants were more likely to be changing the pedals than the drawknobs, but that was at least in part due to our unfamiliarity with the system. Every French organist, on the other hand, knows this system intimately, although it is probably being rendered obsolete today by the use of solid-state controls. The ventil system was, after all, the original combination action which made the great symphonic works of the French masters possible. The gradual crescendos and decrescendos specified in their compositions are beautifully and effectively achieved on this instrument.

Once again the participants played a public recital at the conclusion of the week. The program consisted of Boëly, Fantasy and Fugue in B-Flat (Law-rence); Guilmant, Introduction and Allegro from Sonata I (Warner); Franck, Prelude, Fugue, and Variation (Smith); Widor, Variations from Symphony VIII (Mulvey); Duruflé, Fugue on the Theme of the Soissons Cathedral Carillon (Livengood); and Vierne, Adagio and Final from Symphony III (Kitterman). This music spanned the period from before the building of the organ until much later, but this organ was the perfect vehicle for each of the compositions. At the conclusion, Frank Vaudray, the gifted assistant organist of the church, improvised in perpetual motion, making a seamless crescendo from the softest stops to the full organ.

Our whole world has changed dramatically since this wonderful institute in France last summer--there could hardly be a greater contrast between the acrid, smoldering ruins of lower Manhattan and the serenity and beauty of Souvigny or the power and majesty of Lyon. Although September 11 has now made all our lives very different, it is still possible to remember and revisit the monuments of French organs. I hope I have the opportunity to return to Souvigny and Lyon, and I certainly encourage others to go there. They will be amply rewarded by an institute which fosters the understanding of our rich organbuilding heritage and provides a unique educational experience, as well as a very pleasant summer sojourn.

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