René Verwer | ![]() |
Messiaen’s organ at Ste.-Trinité, Paris Het ORGEL 104 (2008), nr. 6, xx-xx [summary] |
In 1931 Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was appointed ‘organiste titulaire’ of the
Cavaillé-Coll organ at Ste.-Trinité in Paris. From that time on he composed the
greatest part of his organ works specifically for this organ.
The Cavaillé-Coll firm was given the contract for a two-manual instrument in
1865, for the price of 38,412.50 francs. The enlarged instrument (three-manuals,
46 registers) was delivered on 4 July, 1868, and on 16 March 1869 it was
inaugurated by Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck, Alexis Chauvet (the first
titularis of the organ), Henri Fissot, and Charles-Marie Widor.
During the first thirty years the organ was maintained by the firm of
Cavaillé-Coll (after 1898: Mutin). Louis Vierne was affronted when in 1901 the
maintenance was taken over by the firm of Merklin (Gutschenritter), which added
tuning slots to all the overblowing flutes, among several changes. In 1934-1935
the organ was restored by the firm of Pleyel-Cavaillé-Coll, which made a few
changes including the addition of four registers to the Positif and three
registers to the Récit.
From 1962-1967 the firm of Beuchet-Debierre from Nantes carried out a third
restoration and augmentation. The key and stop action were electrified and the
organ was given a new console. From the correspondence between Messiaen and
Eugène Picaud (one of Beuchet’s employees) it is clear that Messiaen insisted
that the timbres of Cavaillé-Coll remain unaltered.
In 1984 the key action was improved and in 1993 the organ was worked on again.
Two years before his death Messiaen expressed the wish, in a letter to the
builder Glandaz, to add chamades to the instrument, to which he was particularly
attached, and a 32’ Bombarde, and on the Récit a Septième, a Neuvième, and a 32’
Douçaine. These additions were not carried out.
Attachments:
Olivier Messiaen about 1940 at the console of the Cavaillé-Coll-organ St.Trinité
in Paris
Photo: Jean Aubry