ORGANS OF PARIS © 2023 Vincent Hildebrandt ALL ORGANS
Notre Dame
de Paris 1 - 2
6 Parvis Notre-Dame , 75004 Paris Orgue de tribune1402 : Frederic Schambantz
1415 : Jean Chahancel
1458: Jean Bourdon
1476 Jean Robelin
1540: Pasquier Bauldry
1564 : Nicolas Dabenei
1609 et 1620 : Valeran de Hewn
1636 et 1646: Pierre Thierry
1672 : Jacques Carouge
1691: Alexandre Thierry, Hippolyie Ducastel
1699 : Jean Bessart
1733 : Francois Thierry1783: Francois-Henri Clicquot
1812 : Pierre-Francois Dallery
1838 : Louis-Paul Dallery
1868 et 1894 : Aristide Cavaille-Coll1904 : Charles Mutin
1932 : Societe Cavaille-Coll, Joseph Beuchet
1963 : Jean Hermann
1966: Robert Boisseau
1975 : Jean-Loup Boisseau
1992 : Boisseau, Cattiaux, Emeriau, Giroud,
Societe Synaptel
2014 : Bertrand Cattiaux, Pascal Quoirin
2021-2024 …
V/113 - electrical/digital traction - stoplist
Description of console
Video of the organ loft and console
April, 15, 2019 A very, very black day in the history of Paris, France and the world: Notre-Dame-de-Paris is severly damaged by a great fire. Thanks to the waterproof stone vault and firewall, the great organ did not suffer! The pipes could have melted in the fire, they are only filled with lead dust. It will take four years to disassemble, clean and reassemble.
This masterpiece of early-Gotic architecture was built
between 1163-1345, replacing a Merovingian
Cathedral, St. Stephen. During the reigns of Louis XIV
and Louis XV, the cathedral was much altered, as
Gothic style was considered outdated. During the
revolution, many of the treasures of the cathedral
were destroyed. The cathedral's organ and great bell
Emmanuel (15 th century) managed to avoid being
destructed.
The badly damaged cathedral was restored in 1845-
1870 by Lassus and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. In fact,
quite a few parts of the present cathedral do originate
from the 19th century! From 1991 onwards, a major
program of maintenance and restoration has been
carried out. In the future, new and comprehensive
restoration works have to be carried out. Both its
exterior and its interior are overwhelming - a
maginifcent housing for its organ!
Unfortunately, the devastating fire of April, 15, 2019
did damage the home of this organ very badly. It will
be closed at least until April, 2024.
Photo: Jeroen de Haan
The first instrument is mentioned as early as 1357. In
1403, a new organ is built. Till 1730, there is a history of
many transformations and extensions. The present
organ originates from a new organ constructed by
François Thierry in 1730-33. This instrument was
renovated and extended in 1783-88 by François-Henri
Clicquot. In 1864-68, the positive was taken away by
Violet le Duc (it is still stored somewhere in the cathedral)
and the Clicquot organ was transformed into a
symphonic organ by Cavaillé-Coll. He introduced a
novelty here by extending the harmonics using a 7th and
its octaves. In the years 1959 - 1968 the instrument was
electrified , extended and reharmonized par Jean
Hermann and Robert Boisseau under the direction of
Pierre Cochereau and lost its symphonic character. In
1990-92, a large-scale restoration was carried out by
Boisseau & Cattiaux, Emeriau, Giroud, returning the
organ to its symphonic character of the 19th century,
while maintaining the classical 32' grand choeur as
reconstructed in the past century.
In 2012-2014, the organ was restorated again and
enlarged by Bertrand Cattiaux and Pascal Quoirin. They
installed a new computer traction, repaired the sunken
pipes, cleaned the organ and modified the "small pedal"
into a ‘resonnance’ board. A register system motorized
by high-pressure pneumatic actuators was supplied to
replace Cavaille-Coll's action stop ties and the pneumatic
stop tie machines were completely restored.
33 stops are from before the revolution, around 50 are
from Cavaillé-Coll.
This organ is superb! Together with the great acoustiscs of
this cathedral, the organ sounds incredibly beautiful and its
power goes beyond all imagination.
FiIm:
In the belly of the organ of Notre Dame (ARTE, in French)
The old console of Cavaillé-Coll (stored in the south tower)
Organiste titulaire
Vincent Dubois, Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefebvre Organiste titulaire émérite: Jean-Pierre Leguay Famous organists in the past: Louis-Claude Daquin, Claude-Bénigne Balbastre, Nicolas Séjan, Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet Charpentier, Louis Vierne, Léonce de Saint- Martin, Pierre Cochereau. Videos Olivier Latry Vincent Dubois Johan Vexo Philippe Lefebvre Jean-Pierre Leguay Maurice Duruflé: ... placed an a dais situated in the middle of a spacious organ loft with thé immense nave of the cathedral in het organist's view. Like a ship's captain on the bridge, he takes in the great open sea. It is an absolutely intoxicating experience. (L'Orgue, no 162, april-june 1977) Louis Vierne: At Notre Dame, with the console about seven feet out from the case, the player hears the sound directly and in all its power. It is a joy seldom experienced elsewhere.
Pierre COCHEREAU
at the beginning of his career at NDP (since 1955)
Inauguration of the restored Great Organ, 1868
Drawing by Viollet-le-Duc
The old case of the positif,
removed by Violet-le-Duc
Organs of Paris
Notre Dame
de Paris 1 - 2
6 Parvis Notre-Dame , 75004 Paris Orgue de tribune1402 : Frederic Schambantz
1415 : Jean Chahancel
1458: Jean Bourdon
1476 Jean Robelin
1540: Pasquier Bauldry
1564 : Nicolas Dabenei
1609 et 1620 : Valeran de Hewn
1636 et 1646: Pierre Thierry
1672 : Jacques Carouge
1691: Alexandre Thierry, Hippolyie Ducastel
1699 : Jean Bessart
1733 : Francois Thierry1783: Francois-Henri Clicquot
1812 : Pierre-Francois Dallery
1838 : Louis-Paul Dallery
1868 et 1894 : Aristide Cavaille-Coll1904 : Charles Mutin
1932 : Societe Cavaille-Coll, Joseph Beuchet
1963 : Jean Hermann
1966: Robert Boisseau
1975 : Jean-Loup Boisseau
1992 : Boisseau, Cattiaux, Emeriau, Giroud,
Societe Synaptel
2014 : Bertrand Cattiaux, Pascal Quoirin
2021-2024 …
V/113 - electrical/digital traction - stoplist
Description of console
Video of the organ loft and console
April, 15, 2019 A very, very black day in the history of Paris, France and the world: Notre-Dame-de-Paris is severly damaged by a great fire. Thanks to the waterproof stone vault and firewall, the great organ did not suffer! The pipes could have melted in the fire, they are only filled with lead dust. It will take four years to disassemble, clean and reassemble.
ORGANS OF PARIS © 2023 Vincent Hildebrandt ALL ORGANS
Organiste titulaire
Vincent Dubois, Olivier Latry, Philippe Lefebvre Organiste titulaire émérite: Jean- Pierre Leguay Famous organists in the past: Louis-Claude Daquin, Claude-Bénigne Balbastre, Nicolas Séjan, Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet Charpentier, Louis Vierne, Léonce de Saint-Martin, Pierre Cochereau. Videos Olivier Latry Vincent Dubois Johan Vexo Philippe Lefebvre Jean-Pierre Leguay Maurice Duruflé: ... placed an a dais situated in the middle of a spacious organ loft with thé immense nave of the cathedral in het organist's view. Like a ship's captain on the bridge, he takes in the great open sea. It is an absolutely intoxicating experience. (L'Orgue, no 162, april-june 1977) Louis Vierne: At Notre Dame, with the console about seven feet out from the case, the player hears the sound directly and in all its power. It is a joy seldom experienced elsewhere.
Photo: Jeroen de Haan
The first instrument is mentioned as early as 1357. In 1403,
a new organ is built. Till 1730, there is a history of many
transformations and extensions. The present organ
originates from a new organ constructed by François Thierry
in 1730-33. This instrument was renovated and extended in
1783-88 by François-Henri Clicquot. In 1864-68, the positive
was taken away by Violet le Duc (it is still stored somewhere
in the cathedral) and the Clicquot organ was transformed
into a symphonic organ by Cavaillé-Coll. He introduced a
novelty here by extending the harmonics using a 7th and its
octaves. In the years 1959 - 1968 the instrument was
electrified , extended and reharmonized par Jean Hermann
and Robert Boisseau under the direction of Pierre
Cochereau and lost its symphonic character. In 1990-92, a
large-scale restoration was carried out by Boisseau &
Cattiaux, Emeriau, Giroud, returning the organ to its
symphonic character of the 19th century, while maintaining
the classical 32' grand choeur as reconstructed in the past
century.
In 2012-2014, the organ was restorated again and enlarged
by Bertrand Cattiaux and Pascal Quoirin. They installed a
new computer traction, repaired the sunken pipes, cleaned
the organ and modified the "small pedal" into a ‘resonnance’
board. A register system motorized by high-pressure
pneumatic actuators was supplied to replace Cavaille-Coll's
action stop ties and the pneumatic stop tie machines were
completely restored.
33 stops are from before the revolution, around 50 are from
Cavaillé-Coll.
This organ is superb! Together with the great acoustiscs of this
cathedral, the organ sounds incredibly beautiful and its power
goes beyond all imagination.
FiIm:
In the belly of the organ of Notre Dame (ARTE, in French)