ORGANS OF PARIS © 2024 Vincent Hildebrandt HOME ALL ORGANS
Saint-Augustin was built between 1860 and 1871 by Victor
Baltard in an eclectic style combining Gothic and
Romanesque elements. It is almost 100 metres in length,
with a dome of 80 metres in height, and was one of the
first great buildings in Paris constructed around a metal
frame. This church is a good example of the Parisan
architecture during the Second French Empire, directed by
Baron Haussmann, with many rectilinear avenues, which
called for prestigious buildings at prominent locations.
C2
The organ was built by Charles Barker & Albert Peschard
and inaugurated in 1868. It was an innovative instrument,
the first organ equipped with an electro - pneumatic
transmission (type Peschard - not to be confused with the
type Schmoele-Mol which was used by Merklin).
The inauguration took place on June 17, 1868 and the
occasion aroused wide interest in France and abroad.
In the Commune turmoil in 1870, Charles Barker leaves
France and entrust the maintenance of ths instrument to
one of his pupil and associate: Paul Férat, who improved
the system.
In 1889, Paul Férat gives away the maintenance contract
to Cavaillé-Coll who, unprepared to assure the
maintenance of this new system, entrusts the work to his
son, Gabriel, who is more versed in electricity. Although
Cavaillé-Coll wants to preserve the electric action, he plans
on revoicing of the instrument and a modification to the
stoplist.
In 1893, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll - in disagreement with his
son - decided to carry out a major reconstruction of the
organ, with the replacement of the electro - pneumatic
transmission by a mechanical transmission assisted by the
Barker lever, the extension of the three keyboards to 56
notes and the pedal to 30 notes, and the addition of 9
stops. The new organ was inaugurated in 1899 by Eugène
Gigout.
In 1925, Charles Mutin extended the instrument to 54
stops.
In 1962 the Beuchet company (i.c. father and son Picaud)
carried out an overhaul and revoicing, with the addition of
mixtures on each manual and the replacement of the Voix
humaine of the Swell with a Sesquialtera II and the
Clarinette of the Positif with a Cromorne.
A new restoration and revoicing was carried out in 1988 by
Bernard Dargassies, with the aim to return to the original
symphonic instrument.
2023-2024: an overhaul (concerning the swell and a part
of mecanic and blowers) is being carried out.
Organiste titulaire
Didier Matry & Christophe Martin-Maëder
Famous organists in the past: Eugène Gigout, Jean Hure,
André Fleury, Suzanne Chaisemartin
Concerts
Regularly
Masses with organ
Saturday 6.30PM, Sunday 10AM, 11AM, 19PM
Videos
Didier Matry
•
Improvisation (2021)
•
Widor (2021)
•
Dupré (2021)
•
Tournemire (2021)
•
Metaprisme III
•
Toccata Gigout
•
Improvisation, saxophone et orgue
•
Extraits des "Sonnets" mélodies
•
Pierre Cochereau Grand Plein Jeu improvisé
•
Buxtehude Erhalt uns Herr
Christophe Martin-Maëder
photos GO : Didier Matry
1868 - Barker (1)
1899 - Cavaillé-Coll (3a)
1925 - Mutin (2)
1945- Beuchet-Debierre (6)
1962 - Beuchet-Debierre (3a)
1988 - Dargassies (4)
III/54 - traction mécanique
composition
The organs of Paris
ORGANS OF PARIS © 2024 Vincent Hildebrandt ALL ORGANS
C2
The organ was built by Charles Barker & Albert Peschard and
inaugurated in 1868. It was an innovative instrument, the first
organ equipped with an electro - pneumatic transmission
(type Peschard - not to be confused with the type Schmoele-
Mol which was used by Merklin).
The inauguration took place on June 17, 1868 and the
occasion aroused wide interest in France and abroad.
In the Commune turmoil in 1870, Charles Barker leaves
France and entrust the maintenance of ths instrument to one
of his pupil and associate: Paul Férat, who improved the
system.
In 1889, Paul Férat gives away the maintenance contract to
Cavaillé-Coll who, unprepared to assure the maintenance of
this new system, entrusts the work to his son, Gabriel, who is
more versed in electricity. Although Cavaillé-Coll wants to
preserve the electric action, he plans on revoicing of the
instrument and a modification to the stoplist.
In 1893, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll - in disagreement with his son -
decided to carry out a major reconstruction of the organ,
with the replacement of the electro - pneumatic transmission
by a mechanical transmission assisted by the Barker lever,
the extension of the three keyboards to 56 notes and the
pedal to 30 notes, and the addition of 9 stops. The new organ
was inaugurated in 1899 by Eugène Gigout.
In 1925, Charles Mutin extended the instrument to 54 stops.
In 1962 the Beuchet company (i.c. father and son Picaud)
carried out an overhaul and revoicing, with the addition of
mixtures on each manual and the replacement of the Voix
humaine of the Swell with a Sesquialtera II and the Clarinette
of the Positif with a Cromorne.
A new restoration and revoicing was carried out in 1988 by
Bernard Dargassies, with the aim to return to the original
symphonic instrument.
2023-2024: an overhaul (concerning the swell and a part of
mecanic and blowers) is being carried out.
Organiste titulaire
Didier Matry & Christophe Martin-Maëder
Famous organists in the past: Eugène Gigout, Jean Hure,
André Fleury, Suzanne Chaisemartin
Concerts
Regularly
Masses with organ
Saturday 6.30PM, Sunday 10AM, 11AM, 19PM
Videos
Didier Matry
•
Improvisation (2021)
•
Widor (2021)
•
Dupré (2021)
•
Tournemire (2021)
•
Metaprisme III
•
Toccata Gigout
•
Improvisation, saxophone et orgue
•
Extraits des "Sonnets" mélodies
•
Pierre Cochereau Grand Plein Jeu improvisé
•
Buxtehude Erhalt uns Herr
Christophe Martin-Maëder
photos GO : Didier Matry
1868 - Barker (1)
1899 - Cavaillé-Coll (3a)
1925 - Mutin (2)
1945- Beuchet-Debierre (6)
1962 - Beuchet-Debierre (3a)
1988 - Dargassies (4)
III/54 - traction mécanique
composition
