The Gothic Cathédrale Ste-Cécile of Albi, built in the 13th century in the heart of Cathar country, is the largest brick building in the world. Perched high on a hill above the River Tarn, it looks more like a fortress than a cathedral - and that's no accident.
History
Construction on the Cathedral of St. Cecilia began in 1282 under the direction of Bernard de Castanet (1277-1307), who was Bishop of Albi and Chief Inquisitor. It was built as a defensive fortress and statement of strength after the Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229), a holy war waged by the Catholic Church against the heretical Cathars and the count of Toulouse. Construction was mostly done by 1383, but the cathedral was not fully complete until 1492.
Watch this video to view the cathedral inside and out:Mary Prat-Molinier plays the Grand Jeu by Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet-Charpentier on Albi Cathedral organ.
The fantastic Bombarde stops are perhaps the most shockingly brilliant I've ever heard.
With 19 ranks of reeds, Albi cathedral has an incomparable selection of Trompette variations for the organist to choose from. The sound is as orchestral as a Baroque organ can be .This sounds like Mozart and is the Quartetto by the French composer Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet-Charpentier played by the resident organist since 1968, Mary Prat-Molinier.
The origin of the classic organ whose actual case remains, is attributed to Christophe Moucherel (1736). This gigantic organ (width : 16.2 m) has been restored by Francois & Jean-Francois Lepine (1747), Joseph Isnard (1779), Antoine Peyroulous (1824).
It was then transformed into a romantic organ by Claude brothers (1840), Thibault Maucourt (1865), Puget Co. (1904).
After the study of the Historic Organ Committee in 1960s, they confirmed a restauration to a classic instrument by Schwenkedel in 1971 and by Bartholomeo Formentelli in 1977 who restored it in 1981.
Specification
I Positif dorsal (C1, D1-D5)
Montre 8'
Bourdon 8'
Prestant 4'
Flute a cheminee 4'
Nazard 2' 2/3
Doublette 2'
Tierce 1' 3/5
Larigot 1' 1/3
Cornet V ranks (C3-D5)
Fourniture VI ranks NB1
Trompette 8'
Cromorne 8'
Clairon 4'
II Grand orgue (C1, D1-D5)
Montre 16'
Bourdon 16'
Montre 8'
Bourdon 8'
Prestant 4'
Flute a cheminee 4'
Grosse tierce 3' 1/5
Nazard 2' 2/3
Doublette 2'
Quarte de nazard 2'
Tierce 1' 3/5
Cornet V ranks (C3-D5)
Fourniture V ranks (2' 2/3)
Cymbale V ranks (1')
Bombarde 16'
Premiere trompette 8'
Deuxieme trompette 8'
Clairon 4'
III Bombarde (C1, D1-D5)
Cornet V ranks (C3-D5)
Bombarde 16'
Premiere trompette 8'
Deuxieme trompette 8'
Trompette 8' (C3-D5) NB3
Voix humaine 8'
Clairon 4'
IV Recit (C3-D5)
Flute 8'
Cornet V ranks
Trompette 8'
Hautbois 8'
V Echo (C2-D5)
Bourdon 8'
Prestant 4'
Nazard 2' 2/3
Quarte de nazard 2'
Tierce 1' 3/5
Fourniture III NB2
Cromorne 8'
Pedale (C1, A0, D1-F3) NB4
Flute 16' (A0)
Flute 8' (A0)
Flute 4' (A0)
Bombarde 16'
Trompette 8'
Clairon 4'
Accouplement Pos/G.O. sur Grand Orgue
Accouplement G.O/Bom sur Bombarde
Tirasse Bombarde
Tremblant doux
Tremblant fort
Rossignol
NB1 : = Fourniture III (1' 1/3) + Cymbale III (1/2')
NB2 : = Cymbale III (1/2')
NB3 : = Trompette en chamade 8' (C3-D5)
NB4 : C#1 key sounds A0 only for reed stops
YOU CAN LISTEN TO ANY (OR ALL) OF THE FOLLOWING RECORDINGS OF THE ALBI ORGAN BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW:
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Albi cathedral organ Beauvarlet-Charpentier
Recital on 5 manual Baroque organ at Albi Cathedral
Organ Francis Chapelet improvise à Albi
André Isoir joue Marchand à Albi
André Isoir joue Dandrieu à Albi
ALBI = Les orgues