JULIAN RHODES' DREAM ORGANS
Restoration work on the fabric of the Cathedral was begun in 1840; seven years later, as the result of dust and exposure to the elements, the organ was in serious need of attention.It had undergone a gradual process of rebuilding for several centuries. François Thierry had done notable work in 1730-33, introducing the first Bombarde division in France, and including a 32ft. Montre on the Grand-Orgue. At that time it was the largest organ in France. Alterations were made by François-Henri Cliquot in 1783-8, and by members of the Dallery family in 1812 and 1833-8.
In 1859 Aristide Cavaillé-Coll was asked to provide a new instrument, re-using as much of the extant material as possible as an economy measure. He inspected the organ on March 30th 1860, and presented a proposal for a four-manual, 65-stop instrument. He planned to expand the compasses to 56 notes (manuals) and 30 notes (pedals).
Cavaillé-Coll did not start work until 1864; by the time the organ was completed, it had evolved into a much more complex (and larger) instrument. Those features of Cavaillé-Coll's earlier style present in the proposal stoplist (a Bombarde division little different from that at La Madeleine, 1846; the incomplete ensemble of the Récit with its flutes duplicating those of Bombarde; the slightly unfocussed Positif stoplist) disappeared and in their place was built the most tightly-knit tonal scheme Cavaillé-Coll ever designed, with its interlocking harmonic choruses on Grand-Choeur (this division not present in the proposal), Bombarde and Pédale; its Récit now including a mixture and a 16ft. reed; its Positif now including a mixture and a chorus of Clarinettes. It also introduced the progressive mixtures which, for a few years, were such an integral feature of Cavaillé-Coll's style. In the light of the extant organ, the above scheme is little more than a large but transitional example of a maturing style.I POSITIF (DE DOS) (56 notes, C-g3) 16 Bourdon old 16 (Dessus de) Flûte Conique 8 Montre old 8 Bourdon old 8 Salicional 8 Viole de Gambe 8 Unda-Maris 4 Prestant old 4 Flûte Octaviante 4 Dulciane 2 Doublette old 1 Flageolet old 1 3/5ft. Tierce 8 Trompette old 8 Cromorne 4 Clairon II GRAND-ORGUE Jeux de Fond: 16 Montre old 16 Violonbasse 16 Bourdon old? 8 Montre 8 Bourdon 8 Flûte Harmonique 8 Viole de Gambe 4 Prestant Jeux de Combinaison 4 Octave 2 2/3 Quinte old 2 2/3ft. Nazard 2 Doublette old 2ft. Quarte IV Fourniture V Cymbale 16 Basson 8 Basson 4 Clairon III BOMBARDE Jeux de Fond 16 Soubasse 16 (Dessus de) Corni Dolci 8 Principal 8 Flûte Harmonique 8 Quintaton old 8ft. Bourdon 4 Flûte Octaviante Jeux de Combinaison 4 Octave 2 Octavin V Cornet old 16 Bombarde old 8 Trompette old 4 Clairon old IV RÉCIT EXPRESSIF Jeux de Fond 16 Quintaton old 8 Flûte Traversière 8 Viole de Gambe 8 Voix Céleste 4 Flûte Octaviante Jeux de Combinaison 2 Octavin 8 Voix Humaine old 8 Basson-Hautbois 8 Trompette 4 Clairon PÉDALE Jeux de Fond 32 Principalbasse 16 Contrebasse 16 Soubasse 8 Flûte 8 Violoncelle 4 Flûte Jeux de Combinaison 32 Contrebombarde old 16ft. Bombarde 16 Bombarde old 8ft. Trompette 16 Basson 8 Trompette 8 Basson 4 Clairon PÉDALES DE COMBINAISON Expression Récit Trémulo Récit Récit/Bombarde Bombarde/Grand-Orgue Positif/Grand-Orgue Appel Bombarde Appel Grand-Orgue Appel des Jeux de Combinaison Récit Appel des Jeux de Combinaison Bombarde Appel des Jeux de Combinaison Grand-Orgue Appel des Jeux de Combinaison Pédale Tirasse Bombarde Tirasse Grand-Orgue Orage
As a footnote, it is of interest to record a proposal by Merklin & Schütze dated 1862, projected to cost 106,000 francs. It is not dissimilar to Cavaillé-Coll's in outline, and has one less stop (64 instead of 65). The differences of detail are interesting, however; note the Récit divided into three sections.
The above stoplists are taken from 'Die Orgel der Kathedrale Notre-Dame in Paris (Teil 1)', Edition Lade, ISBN 3-9500017-4-3.I POSITIF (DE DOS) Jeux de Fond: 16 Bourdon 8 Flûte 8 Bourdon 8 Salicional 4 Flûte traversière 4 Fugara 8 Cor anglais Jeux de combinaison: 2 Octavin IV-V Fourniture 8 Trompette 8 Cromorne II GRAND-ORGUE Jeux de Fond: 16 Montre 16 Gambe 8 Montre 8 Gambe 8 Bourdon 8 Flûte Harmonique 8 Dolce 4 Flûte è cheminée 8 Basson Jeux de Combinaison: 4 Prestant 3 Nazard V-VII Grande Fourniture 16 Ophicleide et Cor 8 Grosse Trompette 4 Clairon III BOMBARDE Jeux de Fond: 16 Gros Bourdon 8 Principal 8 Gros Bourdon 4 Dulciana 4 Flûte octaviante 8 Clarinette Jeux de Combinaison: - Grand Cornet 16 Bombarde 8 Trompette 4 Clairon IV RÉCIT EXPRESSIF Jeux de Fond: 16 Quintaton 8 Bourdon 8 Gambe 8 Flûte è pavillon 4 Flûte harmonique 2 Flagoelet Premier Jeux de Combinaison: 8 Flûte harmonique [8] Voix célèste II 8 Basson-Hautbois 8 Voix humaine Deuxième Jeux de Combinaison: - Cornet 16 Bombarde douce 8 Trompette harmonique 4 Clairon harmonique PéDALE Jeux de Fond: 32 Flûte 16 Principal 16 Contrebasse 16 Soubasse 8 Octavebasse 8 Bourdon 8 Violoncelle 4 Flûte Jeux de Combinaison 32 Bombarde 16 Bombarde 16 Basson 8 Trompette 8 Basson 4 Clairon PÉDALES DE COMBINAISON Tirasse I Tirasse II Tirasse III Tirasse IV I / II III / II IV / II Octaves graves I / II I / IV Anches I Anches II Anches III Anches Pédale II / Machine Trémolo Expression Forté générlae Fonds IV 1er jeux de combinaison IV 2e jeux de combinaisons IV Manual compass: 54 notes, C-f3 Pédale compass: 30 notes, C-f1
My thanks to Karsten Unverricht for drawing my attention to these stoplists.
Back to the index of organ proposals | Back to the index of organ designs & stoplists | Back to the front page