Notre Dame

de la Croix

3, place de Ménilmontant, 75020 Paris Orgue de tribune 1874 - Cavaille-Coll

1912 - Charles Mutin

1922 - Fernand Prince

1955 - Erwin Muller

1990 - Daniel Birouste

2000 - François Delangue

2010 - Hubert Brayé

III/26 - mechanicl traction - stoplist

orgue de choeur

1900 - Mutin

1960 - Gutschenritter/Masset

1991 - Daniel Birouste

I/10 (9) - mechanical traction - stoplist

Site of the organ

photo GO: Jeroen de Haan

This big and very majestically positioned church was built in during the reign of Napoleon III, by the architect Louis-Antoine Heret, in a neo-roman style with gothic elements and a modern metallic structure. It is built on the steep slope of the Hill of Ménilmontant, which necessitated the construction of a 54 steps to make up for the difference in level between the facade and the apse. It is the third Church in Paris by its length and has a very large surface of slate roofs. They are supported by wooden frames, but the attic of the Church also have metal beams supplementing cast-iron ribs visible under the vaults of the nave. It was the first church in Paris to have a visible metal structure.

The organ of Notre-Dame-de-la-Croix is one of the rare organs built by Cavaillé-Coll, which have not been altered to a significant extent during the past centuries. The organ was built in 1872-1874. When designing the instrument, Cavaillé-Coll faced two serious problems: the rose window, and a bell passageway in the center of the gallery. It was used for the mechanical operation of the bells and as a route to bring down the bells for repairs. From the floor to the steeple, there are nine crosses in the rose window, a symbolic number, and none of them had to be concealed. So Cavaillé-Coll built an organcase in two sections leaving the center of the gallery and the rose window unmasked. The passageway for the bells prevented building a console in the center of the gallery with a direct action towards both organcases. The original plan included a Récit expressiv, a Grand- Orgue, a Positif expressiv and a Pedal. The console was installed, facing the nave, with its three manuals. After the installation of the Récit and Grand-Orgue, it became evident that it would be impossible to build the action for the Positif. So the first manual, that was to be the Positif, was transformed into a permanent coupling manual, meaning that it couples the Récit with the Grand-Orgue. To take into account the passageway for the bells, Cavaillé-Coll was forced to turn the console (facing the rose window) and to use a complex action design, which resulted in an action which is very hard for the organist (although a Barkermachine is assisting the action of the GO). The right organcase houses pipework from the Grand- Orgue division. The action, part of the wind system and the Barker machine are located in the lower part of the organcase. The left organcase houses pipework from the Recit. Just next to it, there is a large empty space, meant for the 11 stops of the never built Positif and now occupied by a electric motor. The Pedal division is located on each side in the back of the gallery with in the middle the main bellows. In 1912, Charles Mutin renovated the organ and raised the wind pressure. Some works were done in 1922 by Fernand Prince. In 1955, Erwin Müller modified two stops: the 4' Octave in the Grand-Orgue became a 2 2/3' Quinte; the harmonic progression of the Plein Jeu III-VI in the Grand-Orgue was modified to become a Plein-Jeu III-IV with breaks (C = 1 1/3, c = 2, c' = 2 2/3', c'' = 4). In 1989, the organ was restored by Daniel Birouste (Plaisance). In 2010, an overhaul was carried out by Hubert Brayé of Mortzwiller (68). An important work of equalization, especially concerning the reed stops, was carried out. main source Although this organ has only 26 stops, the instrument has an amazing power and it can OKbe described as one of the finest Cavaillé-Colls in Paris. Site of the organ

Organiste titulaire

Frédéric Denis Famous organists in the past: Gaston Litaize (1930-1932), Jean Langlais (1932-1934)

Concerts

Seldomly

Masses with organ

Saturday 6p.m., Sunday 11a.m., 6p.m. Video Frédéric Denis

Audio

• Frédéric Denis (grand orgue), Eliane Stefan (orgue de choeur) - Grand choeur dialogué - Eugène Gigout • Frédéric Denis (grand orgue) - Carillon de Westminster - Louis Vierne

The choir organ was built in 1912 by Charles Mutin, replacing a very modest 4-stop organ, the buffet of which is still in place today, behind the high altar (photo). Modified by Gutschenritter in 1960 and S. Grolleau in 1979, it was moved to the transept and then placed back in the choir during the 1992 restoration by Daniel Birouste. Its last restoration was carried out in 1996 by François Delangue. On this occasion, the original wind pressure was restored to 150 mm C/E!

Photo : Pierre Marteau

Empty organ case Before the current church was built - in the 1860s - there was a 'Chapelle Notre Dame de la Croix', just down the street behind the church. It was destroyed at the time. It had a small organ but we have no information on the instrument. When the church was built, this little organ was installed behind the choir (see photo). It was used until the construction of the great organ in 1872. It is now totally empty, there is nothing in it and it is used as a cupboard to store things. Thanks to Frédéric Denis for this information.