The Musical Goal

The design of this organ was conceived as a result of conversations with Dennis Keene, Ascension’s organist-choirmaster since 1981, and Jon Gillock, organist of international renown and, most recently, author of a book on Olivier Messiaen’s organ works. From the beginning, the instrument was not intended to respond to a specific stylistic period but rather to lead, in terms of organbuilding, to a profile that would allow for the performance of a large body of music in the best possible manner.

This concept was nourished by several visits to a number of instruments (Saint-Rémy de Provence, the Cathedralof Notre-Dame Évreux), in particular the organ of La Trinité in Paris, representing the musical universe of Olivier Messiaen. Jon Gillock suggested that we listen in detail to combinations that Messiaen used on this organ.

In effect, stylistic evolution is most often the result of a progressive adaptation of an original model. That model is transformed in step with the various styles of composition appropriate to each epoch: polyphonic, classical, romantic, symphonic, etc. Sometimes this evolution anticipates the imagination of musicians. That was the case with the instruments of Cavaillé-Coll, whose ideas preceded the compositions of César Franck, among others.

The organ, therefore, is in perpetual evolution. The history of the organ of Notre-Dame in Paris is a significant example: a Blockwerk from the Middle Ages was still present in the organ at the beginning of the 17th century. It was transformed by Cavaillé-Coll in the 19th century, and in its present state reflects the modern techniques of today. All the marks of its evolution are still present, and the history of the French organ is inscribed there.

Native organbuilding, furthermore, is continually subject to foreign influences, such as those of North Germany, Spain, and Italy, that modify traditional practices and adapt the organ to new musical sensibilities. The experience acquired by organbuilders at the time of major historic restorations is absolutely necessary in understanding and mastering the ensemble of the different aesthetics of organ design. This knowledge also permits a much more realistic approach to the design of a new organ.

The Manton Memorial Organ was conceived primarily to interpret repertoire of the 20th century and that of contemporary music. But it is principally the music of Olivier Messiaen that was the dominating force in the design.

The organ for Messiaen’s music, and particularly that of La Trinité in Paris where he was titular organist for many years, is a Cavaillé-Coll modified to include several classical additions.

This type of organ is considered suspect today because of the many unfortunate rebuilds of historic French organs between the mid-1920s and 1968. However, as poorly realized as it was, I find it difficult to ignore that this style of instrument inspired composers of the neoclassic epoch, and allowed the performance of a large part of the Classic repertoire. Thanks to knowledge acquired during the course of historic restorations, whether they be instruments of the Renaissance, Classic, Romantic, or Symphonic periods, better solutions have been developed for creating an eclectic organ.

It is this accumulated historic knowledge that has guided the design of the organ at the Church of the Ascension. We find here classical elements like the plenum, the jeux de tierces completely developed, the grand-choeur of reeds on their own chests, and a classic disposition of divisions: Grand-Orgue, Positif, Récit-Écho, Grand-Récit Expressif, “large” and “small” Pédale.

A large part of the “classic” foundation of the organ is found in the case placed to the left of the chancel: the Grand-Orgue, Positif, Récit-Écho, and an important part of the Pédale. These ensembles are played by a suspended mechanical action from the console located en fenêtre (attached console).

An identical case, facing the first, houses the Grand-Récit Expressif and the remaining Pédale stops.

The cases were designed to integrate as harmoniously as possible with the architecture of the church. They are constructed of ash and walnut. The sculptured decorations are freely inspired by the Art Nouveau style, an echo of the Tiffany stained-glass windows. The key motifs represent imaginary birds, recalling the birdsongs so dear to Messiaen.

The entire organ, which joins the two cases to the left and right of the sanctuary, with their respective facades facing the side aisles, is played from a four-manual console. It is at this console that one performs most easily the contemporary repertoire or that of the 20th century.

Disposition and Details
The organ is divided on either side of the altar. Two 16' facades face each other. The organ chambers also open into the side aisles to the right and left of the chancel to which we have applied two cases, one of which is composed of two superimposed 8' facades.

The organ on the left comprises the major part of the instrumental structure: on the main level the Grand-Orgue, the Positif above, the Récit-Écho behind the Positif. The large foundation stops of the Pédale are on the bottom (Bourdons 32' and 16', Contrebasse 16', Flûte 8', Jeux de tierce 32', Bombarde 32', etc.). The whole rises in tiers to almost 43 feet.

The case on the right contains the Récit Expressif of 21 stops; its main facade is formed by the Pedal Principal 16' and Violoncelle 8'. Between this facade and the expressive box of the Récit are found the Bassons 16' and 8', the Plein-Jeu, the Octave 4', and the Quinzième 2' of the Pédale. The facade facing the side aisle contains the bass pipes of the Second 8' of the Grand- Orgue. The rest of this stop, along with all of the Second 4', is found behind this facade.

The Grand-Orgue has four chests: two large ones for 16 stops and two others for the three reed stops: Bombarde, Trompette, and Clairon. The second Trompette (en chamade) is the first stop on the foundation chest behind the facade. The configuration is the same for the Positif situated above the Grand-Orgue; the four chests have the same dimensions.

The mechanical key action pulls two sets of pallets, one for the foundation stops with pallets longer than one foot, the other, shorter, for the reed stops. To facilitate the opening, the first two octaves of each chest are equipped with a special assist. The touch is supple and responsive for each keyboard. There are two possibilities for coupling the manuals, either electrical or mechanical.

Most pipes are cone-tuned in the classic manner; others have tuning scrolls: the Gambes and Voix céleste, the Aeolines, the Second 4', and, of course, the Second 8' of the Grand-Orgue. These last two stops, the scales of which are patterned after Cavaillé-Coll, are very strong, especially at the top, and are voiced with open toes. When one plays the registration of all the 8' stops coupled together, the Second 8' adds an effect of fullness and powerful crescendo.

The plenum in two planes, Grand-Orgue and Positif, is founded on the fundamental of the 16', in the French manner, Grande Fourniture with its resultants of 10 2/3', Fourniture, and Cymbale.

The Plein-Jeu of the Récit Expressif is not part of the plenum. Its function is rather to be used with the reeds, which its symphonic character favors. The Sur Cymbale on this keyboard is of the neoclassic type, narrow scale and high- pitched, voiced with low mouths and toes relatively closed. The use of such a stop figures in certain special registrations of Olivier Messiaen. It is also the typical color of the Neoclassic epoch which considered the effect of the plein-jeux as an intense and penetrating light to illuminate the foundations of the organ.

On the other hand, the classic conception interprets the plein-jeu, the plenum, as the result of a synthesis of harmonics: one homogenous sonority with its vowel sound perfectly defined.

The reed stops differentiate themselves in three different ways:
1. Classic, copying the “Dom-Bédos” reeds of the Église Sainte-Croix in Bordeaux, for the reeds of the Grand-Orgue, Positif, and the Trompette, Hautbois, and Voix humaine of the Récit-Écho, with their distinctive reeds made of brass in the form of a “U,” two-thirds open.
2. The Clarinette 8' and the Basson 8' of the Récit-Écho, the Basson 16' of the Positif, with their “tear-drop” reeds, made to the scales of Cavaillé-Coll, and the Bassons 16' and 8' of the Pédale, with their rectangular “tear-drop,” tin- plated reeds.
3. The harmonic reeds of the Récit, with their reeds more closed, of the “Bertounèche” type (French craftsman who made the shallots of Cavaillé-Coll’s reeds; this company was in existence until 1978).

The acoustics of the church, where the reverberation time is about three seconds, has the advantage of causing no deformation to the sound. The bass has a flawless definition and does not pervade the space, and the highs are without aggressiveness. There are no curved surfaces in the interior architecture that could introduce unwanted reverberation.

PASCAL QUOIRIN
APRIL 2011