ORGANS OF PARIS © 2023 Vincent Hildebrandt ALL ORGANS
Notre-Dame
d'Espérance
2-4 Rue du Commandant Lamy, 75011 Paris
18xx - Cavaillé-Coll ou Abbey
1946 - Victor Gonzalez
1998 - Adrien Maciet/Marc Hédelin
2005 - Dargassies
II/24 (20) -
transmissions électriques
stoplist
Grand-orgue (56 notes)
Montre 8 - Bourdon 8 - Prestant 4 - Doublette 2
Plein Jeu IV - Trompette 8 - Cromorne 8
Récit expressif (56 notes)
Flûte à fuseau 8 - Salicional 8 -Voix céleste 8 -
Flûte 4 - Nasard 2 2/3 - Quarte 2 - Tierce 1 3/5 -
Cymbale III - Hautbois 8 - Trompette 8 - Clairon 4
Tremblant
Pédale (30 notes)
Soubasse 16 - Bourdon 8 - Flûte 4 -
Bombarde 16 - Trompette 8 - Clairon 4 (from GO)
This church is located in the heart of the
Faubourg Saint Antoine. At the beginning of the
20th century, there were many craftsmen,
including carpenters and cabinetmakers. Aware
of the lack of evangelization, Father Anizan
created the Sons of Charity to fill this spiritual
void. In 1928, he had a concrete chapel built,
unfortunately not solid. So, it was destroyed in
1994 and replaced by the current building.
Notre-Dame d'Espérance is a contemporary
church, mixing concrete and glass for the walls,
metal and wood for the interior. Dedicated in
1997, it is the work of architect Bruno Legrand. Its
most original point is the large glass wall in front.
Excerpts from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and
Luke are engraved in "boustrophédon" mode:
only one line out of two is readable; you have to
go to the other side of the glass to read the rest.
The architect incorporated some works of art
from the old church.
Organiste titulaire
Vincent Guyot
Concerts
-
Masses with organ
Saturday at 6:30 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m.
Vidéo
-
According to the archives, this organ is an old cinema
organ (there were still some in Paris at that time!) built by
John Abbey. Transformed and expanded by Victor
Gonzalez for the former little church of Our Lady of Hope
in 1946, the instrument was inaugurated by André
Marchal, great promoter of the neo-classical bill of Victor
Gonzalez. This organ is composed of about twenty real
stops, spread over 2 keyboards and pedals with electric
traction mounted on a separate console. There is no case
and its façade is composed of 15 tin pipes arranged in
mitre and framed by 2 groups of 3 wooden pipes. The
base is plywood.
Before the destruction of the old church, the organ was
dismantled and in 1998 reassembled by Marc Hédelin in
the choir of the new church. He made several important
modifications while respecting the initial stoplist of the
instrument and rebuilt the console.
Later, the instrument was fully restored by Bernard
Dargassies. Its piping is embedded in an alcove of the
choir, masked by stretched canvases of the same tone as
the walls. Only 2 platforms of tin pipes that make up the
bass of the Montre and frame 3 wooden pipes are the
visible part of the instrument (see photos). The console is
deported to a side stand along the nave allowing, from
the keyboards, a plunging view of the choir, which is a
very comfortable situation for the accompanying organist.
With its duplication and extensions, notably on the pedal
(funds 16', 8' and 4', reeds 16', 8' and 4'), this organ of 24
stops on the console offers a beautiful sound palette and
represents a fine example of the neo-classical organ.
Text and photos: Thierry Correard.