The Cathedral pipe organ, made possible by a gift from the late Hazel Wright of Chicago, is the third largest church pipe organ in the world. Conceived by famed organ virtuoso Virgil Fox, the organ unites the Aeolian-Skinner organ from Avery Fisher Hall of Lincoln Center in New York City with the Ruffatti organ built for the former sanctuary in 1977.
There have been numerous additions and refinements by noted organ builders. There are 287 ranks of pipes and over 16,000 individual pipes, all playable from two five-manual consoles. White oak cases hold the nearly 11,000 pipes in the chancel area. Included there is a rank of forty-four 32-foot pedal pipes, originally in the organ at Bovard Auditorium at the University of Southern California-a gift of the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church of La Crescenta. The South Balcony divisions of the organ contain 5,000 pipes, and in the East and West Balconies are 549 horizontal trumpet pipes-the largest collection of such pipes in the world.
The church's 273 rank, five manual pipe organ is one of the largest in the world.[7] Constructed by Fratelli Ruffatti and based on specifications by Virgil Fox and expanded by Frederick Swann, the instrument incorporates the large Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ built in 1962 for New York's Avery Fisher Hall, and the Ruffatti organ which had been installed in the church's previous sanctuary. Swann was organist at the Crystal Cathedral between 1982–1998.
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.
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: TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE AFTER LISTENING, CLICK "BACK" ON YOUR BROWSER.
The archives of the "Illustre Lieve Vrouwe Broederschap" (Illustrious Lady Brotherhood) show that already in the 14th century there is mention of an organ in the Cathedral of St. John 's-Hertogenbosch.
It is known that in 1533 Henry Niehoff built an organ that was destroyed by the tower fire in 1584. During the Twelve Years' Truce the current major organ was built at the west wall. It is one of the jewels of St. John's Cathedral.
The case, made in the years 1617-1620, is considered one of the most impressive in the world. The monumental architectural design is of an unparalleled majestic beauty. Exceptionally rich are the sculptures and carvings. The whole arsenal of the Dutch renaissance ornamentation designs are displayed there. Artists Frans Simonsz, carpenter, and sculptor Georg Schysler have made this artwork.
The sonorous part of the instrument has a turbulent history.
Florentius Hoque from Grave was the first builder. His work was not found adequate and was twelve years later enhanced by father and son Hagerbeer (1634) and was praised by the judges who said: "our organ excels all organs in the Netherlands".
In the beginning of the l8th century the organ was restored and enriched with some stops by Cornelis Hoornbeeck and Christian Müller. In the seventies the instrument became disfunctional. The young German builder from Nijmegen, A G F Heyneman, built a new instrument in the years 1784-1787 in the style of early-and late-rococo classicism, using the old pipes.
In 1902 a total conversion took place to the taste of that time by the brothers Franssen. The mechanical system was replaced by pneumatics, the Swell was emptied and many stops were added. The instrument had 72 stops and was the largest in the Netherlands. It received slider chests and electro pneumatic action. The result was unsatisfactory.
Since 1961 the church has been under restoration and when the pulpit, the choir stalls and altar were restored, it was also decided to restore the organ to the state of 1787. There was sufficient historical knowledge about the instrument and many ranks of old pipes and were still present.
Flentrop
A new mechanical Tracker action was built, the pipes were extended to the old historical pitch, and missing pipes were created in the old style and some new stops were added.
When the Flentrop firm completed this work in 1984 the instrument, although significantly smaller than after 1953, has become far more eloquent and restored to its former glory. Between September 2003 and January 2004, all pipes were stripped of oxidation, grime and dirt. The scaffolding, required to tune the front pipes, has been used to also clean and wax the entire organ case.
The historic pipes of Hoque (1622), Hagerbeer (1634), Hoornbeeck (1718), Müller (1722), Heyneman (1787), Vollebregt (1870) and the new pipes of Flentrop now (again) offer a combined exquisite beauty of sound, which will impress guests and visiting organists.
Bach Praeludium 548, Koopman, St. Jan Cathedral organ in Hertogenbosch with most of the pipes and case dating back from 1550 till 1650.
Bach Fuga 548, Koopman, St. Jan Cathedral organ in Hertogenbosch with most of the pipes and case dating back from 1550 till 1650.
Slghtly unequal following Sorge 1760 temperament.
La = 415 Hz.
Bach 547, Koopman, St. Jan Cathedral organ in Hertogenbosch with most of the pipes and case dating back from 1550 till 1650.
Bach BWV 533, Koopman, St. Jan Cathedral organ in Hertogenbosch with most of the pipes and case dating back from 1550 till 1650.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY
The organ is the product of various builders from 1550 till about 1760. It contains some of the most strange and unique pipes ever heard from the early Renaissance. All the pipes and stops are original from 1550 till 1760. The case is obviously original, all in dark wood with incredible sculptures and details more in the Gothic style than the Barque one.
The organbuilder is Hendrik Niehoff, the famous Organbuilder from Brabant who completed the organ in the St. Jans Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch in 1543.
Since the 1530s Hendrik Niehoff lived in 's-Hertogenbosch and worked at the following:
's-Hertogenbosch, Sint Jan (1533/1540, 1545 organ sold to Friesland )
's-Hertogenbosch, Sint Jan, Towerorgel (1540, 1584 destroyed by fire)
's-Hertogenbosch, Sint Jan (1548)
's-Hertogenbosch, Sint Jan, Doxaalorgel (1566, 1584 destroyed by fire)
In 1543 on the South-West wall opposite the in 1525 erected chappel a for that time large organ was built. This instrument is still the basis for the present organ.
The main project of the current organ was built by Heyeman between 1617 and 1621 using older pipes, since then many others repaired and modified it. Among the mysterious co-re-builders are probably Mueller and maybe also Garrels, F.C. Schnitger and maybe even Hinsz. But the pipes come from much older era and it has a very ancient sound.
Organ rebuild by Flentrop (1984) it was brought back to its original Baroque condition.
's-Hertogenbosch, St.-Jan,
Hocque, 1618,
case Hagerbeer, 1635,
case Heyneman, 1787,
restored 1980-1984 Flentrop
DISPOSITION
I Rugpositief C–f3
Praestant 8′
Bourdon 8′
Quintadena 8′
Fluyttravers 8′
Octaaf 4′
Fluyt dous 4′
Super Octaaf 2′
Flageolet 1′
Mixtuur V
Sexquialter II
Trompet 8′
Dulciaan 8′
Tremulant
Quintadena 16′
Praestant 8′
Roerfluyt 8′
Viola di Gamba 8′
Octaaf 4′
Open fluyt 4′
Quintfluyt 3′
Open fluyt 2′
Super Octaaf 2′
Sexquialter II
Carillon III
Cornet V
Trompet 8′
Vox Humana 8′
Hautbois 8′
Tremulant
A Romanesque church used to stand on the spot where the St. John now resides. Its construction is thought to have started in 1220 and was finished in 1340. Around 1340, building began to extend the church, from which its current gothic style came. The transept and choir were finished in 1450. In 1505, the romanesque church was largely demolished, leaving only its tower. Construction of the gothic St. John was finished about the year 1525.
Organo Dom Bedos-Roubo di Rieti - improvvisazione su tema in stile barocco, nel gusto di J.F. Handel
Piccolo divertimento fatto sul grande Organo Formentelli Dom-Bedos di Rieti
San Domenico Formentelli Benedictine Dom Bedos
Little fun on the great Formentelli organ Dom-Bedos of Rieti
Rieti San Domenico Formentelli baroque Benedictine Dom Bedos Luca di Donato
Introduction
After the extraordinary undertaking the restoration of the church of San Dominic and its reopening to the church, the Committee St. Domenico, led by the pastor of the church, Monsignor Luigi Hinny, has decided to equip the great basilica with an organ as prestigious as that which accompanied in the past.
The Church of San Domenico: The dark years: the ruins of St. Dominic.
In 1810 the French government seizes the entire complex, ousting the religious who are to leave the convent. In 1862 The religious community is suppressed and the new structure receives ownership of land. The convent is used as a military barracks while the church is used as a stable. Don Mariano Pandolf draws up, in those years a timely and heartfelt chronicle of the vicissitudes suffered by the church, later taken over by his nephew Don Vincent Woods. From its chronicles how the church was reduced at the mercy of everyone: the reed organ, famous because of special twisted pipes, is disassembled by the boys who played in the street as fifes. Fourteen altars are all destroyed, stolen marble, the library sacked, bells sold to a stranger claiming to recast.
Piccola Toccata Improvvisata sul Grande Organo Dom-Bedos della Basilica di San Domenico in Rieti.
From 1924 to 1940 the church was used as a sawmill. In 1966 Dr Luisa Mortari, director of the Museo Civico di Rieti, performs a partial restoration and the posting of the few paintings remaining today kept partly in the Museum and the Diocesan Museum. In 1979, due to the earthquake and neglect, the roof collapsed and the building is overgrown.
Improvisation on the theme of "La Majesta" by Telemann.
Performed on the monumental organ Formentelli Sun-Bedos the Church of San Domenico in Rieti. The trumpets are placed on an Chamade wrestplank left to right in during the recording because of the place of the recovery came sharp and clear just sounds right.
Recovery
Dominic lives
On 8 June 1994 the Municipality of Rieti, who had San Dominic, entrusted it to Bishop Luigi Bardotti, pastor of Saint Lucia, for return to worship. The church is in complete state of abandonment, but Don Louis did not lose heart and starts the Committee for the recovery of the building. Within a short time work starts: it reconstructed roof trusses wood beams and cleaned the walls, the floors redone brickwork and relocated five new bells. At last On December 18 1999 the church of San Domenico is reopened for worship and becomes part of the churches of the great Jubilee of the third millennium.
Recovery: San Domenico relives
The meeting with Bartholomew Formentelli: why the organ of St. Dominic is called Dom Bedos -Roubo
The idea of building a Dom Bedos Organ dates from April 2000, when some members of the Committee, participating in the blessing of the largest organ of the Jubilee in Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome, know the craftsman of the instrument, Bartholomew Formentelli, organ builder in Pedemonte Verona.
Filippo Tigli Improvvisazione sul Te Deum di Charpentier
Formentelli has a reputation for exquisite work, following the ancient rules of the organ art. He brought back new life to the great (1735) Moucherel organ in Albi. Formentelli builds and restores getting impressive, warm and atavism sounds. At an encounter with the organ builder the idea was born or make an organ by following the directions of two treaties of the eighteenth century:
"L'art du Facteur d'Orgues "of the Benedictine Dom François Bedos de Celles and "L'Art du Menuisier Carrosier" Monsieur Le Fils Roubo.
First
explicated in detail the entire process of building an organ,starting from its construction up to the choice of construction materials,
second
shows a drawing of "Buffet du Grand Orgue" ideal.
In the Dom Bedos each step is meticulously described, by merging pipes up to the rules of maintenance and choice of stops during execution. This is a rigorous publication of reference for builders.
"L'Art du Menuisier Carrosier" Monsieur Roubo Le Fils, dating back to 1768, is a treatise on carpentry and sculpture wood on which it based the design of the "dress" external case which plays the aesthetic role, but also has a key role in the sound quality, as is the case for any musical instrument.
On 15 January 2004 the contract was signed between the organ-building workshop for Bartholomew Formentelli and the committee San Domenico. Immediately after the commencement of work that can be said to be essentially complete with inauguration given on 8 December 2008 by SE Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state. The organ was completed in all its registers in November 2009.
Great French Offertory on a Theme by Delalande. Performed on the monumental Formentelli organ of the Church of San Domenico in Rieti. the organ is still under construction, is not complete with all the registers and the tuning is not definitive. the organ looks great, it is bright in sound, vigorous in the reeds, warm in foundations and brilliant as a starry sky in ripieni. the mechanics are elegant and precise. A real round of applause to the Master organ builder Formentelli who has built a real piece of history! God bless this work. Formentelli put this in vivo Dom Bedos had only dreamed of.
Interludi al Dixit Dominus, eseguiti sul monumentale organo Formentelli Dom-Bedos della basilica di San Domenico in Rieti
Papal Dom Bedos organ - Roubo Benedict
The organ-Dom Bedos Roubo called "Papal" why and state donated to His Holiness Benedict XVI.
It's a classic French organ, with five keyboards and pedal 30 keys, It has 57 registers and 4054 pipes, It has a console that matches the great historical organs of France and Northern Europe. The "French" pedal of the Dom Bedos-Roubo, was conceived according to the French music of the eighteenth century and therefore ill-suited to perform music or nineteenth polyphonic pieces on the pedal. For this reason, it was considered necessary to provide the Dom Bedos-Roubo with with a "German" second pedal, it undoubtedly extends the musical literature executable. The two pedals are interchangeable depending on the music you will have to perform.
The monumental walnut case (13.5 meters) is waxed and decorated with wooden carvings depicting flowers and cherubs, by Sergio dall'intagliatore Bellani.
Some reed pipes are placed horizontally (En Chamade), typical of the southern tradition of France and Spain. In the facade the register Montre 32 foot dominates. The pipes are tin (Montre, Plein Jeux and Ance 35%) and lead, hammered and planed by hand. The reeds are made of brass reeds "laiton Graitè" (hammered obtained more layers) according to the age-old practice of France and Europe
The GRAND'ORGUE (II clavier Montre de 32') of the large organ is based on a 32 foot. The console is behind the Positive Tergal. In Europe there are only two other "brother" organs to Rieti with five keyboards with the third "En Chamade" the Moucherel organ of Albi and the Dom Bedos organ of Bordeaux.
Organo Dom Bedos-Roubo Rieti - Filippo Tigli: Improvvisazione nel gusto nord germanico
Avec touts les ANCES LA-1 sur le Do1 #
1) de Bourdon 8 '
2) Prestant 4 '
3) Doublette
4) Fourniture 3 rgs
5) Nazard
6) Tierce
7) Musette
ACCESSORIES
Rossignol en Amour (10 pipes, immergées dans l'eau)
Tremblant doux to G.O. Positif Récit
Accoupplement -G.O. on POS - Accoupplement Res sur GO - GO Accouplement sur le
Pedalboard - pulled IIIeme du clavier sur le Pedal - Diapason: 415 Hz at 20 ° C
Pedals 29 pedal Francaise (CF) - Allemande 28 Pedal pedal (CE)
Temperament: inequities, 4 just major thirds (do-mi, fa-la, sol-si, re-fa #), 2
scenes of the Wolf "(B major and C # major)
TOTAL PIPES = 4054
The choice of temperament and 'was a compromise must be compared to
medium tone desired by Dom Bedos. It would limit very much
music performed. Therefore, after consultations with the Maestro and Colamarino
Hadrien Jourdan, Formentelli proposed and implemented a temperament
Inequities, at 415 Hertz with just four major thirds (do-mi, fa-la, I resolved
; Re-fa #). Even the literature of J.S. Bach is executable. Some agreements
(B major and C # major) have the effect of "fifth of the wolf."
1) Socket: contains 2 of the 4 bellows el'elettroventilatore.
2) Singer: It is accessible from behind the organ by means of a scale that
"The guillotine" because it measures the scale of the scaffold. Ironic
metaphor for the Organ, going up the "guillotine", is preparing to undergo the opinion of the public. 5 keyboards (console) are placed between the Tergal positive and the great organ and are not visible from the nave.
3) Positive Tergal is inserted into a wooden railing and in itself capable of playing alone or together throughout the instrument, it is' triggered from the keyboard.
4) Great Organ: Beyond the Great Organ (II keyboard), this part also contains the pedal placed in the two side towers and Recitative (IV keyboard). Inside the base are two bellows with their electric
5) Echo Organ, operated by the fifth console keyboard. Located behind the Positive Tergal that prevents the public to see the organist
6) side towers, are the pipes of the pedal, that are driven by pedals
7) the main tower where the pipes are bigger. The central tower, corresponding to "LA", is about 7 meters high.
8) Console, hidden by Positive Tergal, has 5 keyboards, 57 registers.
Pedalboard "French" interchangeably with "German".
9) Organ of recitative, hidden in the central tower, is driven from the IV keyboard in the console: the echo, using his right hand to perform singable or actual response
PIPE ORGANS: San Domenico Formentelli Benedictine Dom Bedos
Francis Chapelet improvisation at the Dom Bedos/Barthelemy Formentelli organ in San Domenico Church (Rieti, Italy)
Filippo Tigli la marsigliese.avi
Filippo Tigli Improv in stile ottocentesco su tema di Smetana
