The organs of Paris
ORGANS OF PARIS © 2023 Vincent Hildebrandt HOME ALL ORGANS

Saint Augustin

Place Saint-Augustin, 75008 Paris Orgue de tribune

1868 - Barker

1899 - Cavaillé-Coll

1945/62 - Beuchet-Debierre

1987 - Dargassies

2022 - Lacorre

III/54 - mechanical traction -

stoplist

Orgue d'accompagnement sur tribune

1899 - Mutin

1973 - Gonzalez

1983 - Dargassies

II/30 (21) - electrical traction - stoplist

photos GO/Choir organ: Didier Matry
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.
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). In 1870 this system was improved by Paul Férat, one of the pupils of Charles Barker. In 1889, the maintenance was given to Cavaillé- Coll (i.c. his son Gabriel, who was the expert on electricity). However, shortly afterwards, Gabriel left the company and Cavaillé-Coll 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 reharmonization, 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 reharmonization was carried out in 1988 by Bernard Dargassies, with the aim to return to the original symphonic instrument. In 2022, an overhaul (concerning the swell and a part of mecanic and blowers) will be carried out by Denis Lacorre.
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 6.30p.m., Sunday 10a.m., 11a.m., 19p.m.

Videos GO

Didier Matry Improvisation (2021) Widor (2021) Dupré (2021) Tournemire (2021) Metaprisme III Toccata Gigout Improvisation, saxophone et orgue Extraits des "Sonnets" mélodies André Fleury Pièce N°14 André Fleury Pièce N°20 Pierre Cochereau Grand Plein Jeu improvisé Buxtehude Erhalt uns Herr Christophe Martin-Maëder

Video Choir organ

Christophe Martin-Maëder
Photo: Jeroen de Haan
Eugène Gigout à l’orgue de Saint-Augustin, Paris
The organs of Paris

Saint Augustin

Place Saint-Augustin, 75008 Paris Orgue de tribune

1868 - Barker

1899 - Cavaillé-Coll

1945/62 - Beuchet-Debierre

1987 - Dargassies

2022 - Lacorre

III/54 - mechanical traction -

stoplist

Orgue d'accompagnement sur tribune

1899 - Mutin

1973 - Gonzalez

1983 - Dargassies

II/30 (21) - electrical traction - stoplist

photos GO/Choir organ: Didier Matry
ORGANS OF PARIS © 2023 Vincent Hildebrandt ALL ORGANS
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). In 1870 this system was improved by Paul Férat, one of the pupils of Charles Barker. In 1889, the maintenance was given to Cavaillé-Coll (i.c. his son Gabriel, who was the expert on electricity). However, shortly afterwards, Gabriel left the company and Cavaillé- Coll 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 reharmonization, 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 reharmonization was carried out in 1988 by Bernard Dargassies, with the aim to return to the original symphonic instrument. In 2022, an overhaul (concerning the swell and a part of mecanic and blowers) will be carried out by Denis Lacorre.
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 6.30p.m., Sunday 10a.m., 11a.m., 19p.m.

Videos GO

Didier Matry Improvisation (2021) Widor (2021) Dupré (2021) Tournemire (2021) Metaprisme III Toccata Gigout Improvisation, saxophone et orgue Extraits des "Sonnets" mélodies André Fleury Pièce N°14 André Fleury Pièce N°20 Pierre Cochereau Grand Plein Jeu improvisé Buxtehude Erhalt uns Herr Christophe Martin-Maëder

Video Choir organ

Christophe Martin-Maëder
Photo: Jeroen de Haan