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Aubertin And Chapuis


Guest Hector5

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Guest Hector5

A parcel dropped on my doorstep (or rather sploshed) containing volume 3 of Notes personnelles, played by Michel Chapuis on the Aubertin organ in Saint-Louis-en-l'ile, Paris. This is really wonderful stuff, both player and organ. The opening starts with shots of Aubertin's organ works, with happy workers listening to the radio, dogs bounding around etc. Chapuis's playing is superb, and you really get a a close up impression of the organ. All in all, quite fascinating - especially as Chapuis does not appear to worry about things like organ shoes, but plays in a tatty pair of deck shoes. Volume 2 is also quite something, and it gives you an idea of the French romantic organ, playing on a superb C-C at Poligny and also St Ouen, Rouen. For me his demonstration of the Poligny organ is a real eye-opener, showing off some of C-C's innovations. All the music on the CDs is improvised and of the highest standard - his Fugue-a-la-Guilmant being quite a show stopper. Volume 1 shows off the organs at Versailles, Chapelle royale and the organ at Souvigny. For those interested they can be got through Presto Classical.

 

Wonderful stuff!

 

Hector

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Guest Hector5
A parcel dropped on my doorstep (or rather sploshed) containing volume 3 of Notes personnelles, played by Michel Chapuis on the Aubertin organ in Saint-Louis-en-l'ile, Paris. This is really wonderful stuff, both player and organ. The opening starts with shots of Aubertin's organ works, with happy workers listening to the radio, dogs bounding around etc. Chapuis's playing is superb, and you really get a a close up impression of the organ. All in all, quite fascinating - especially as Chapuis does not appear to worry about things like organ shoes, but plays in a tatty pair of deck shoes. Volume 2 is also quite something, and it gives you an idea of the French romantic organ, playing on a superb C-C at Poligny and also St Ouen, Rouen. For me his demonstration of the Poligny organ is a real eye-opener, showing off some of C-C's innovations. All the music on the CDs is improvised and of the highest standard - his Fugue-a-la-Guilmant being quite a show stopper. Volume 1 shows off the organs at Versailles, Chapelle royale and the organ at Souvigny. For those interested they can be got through Presto Classical.

 

Wonderful stuff!

 

Hector

 

 

For my sins, I forgot to mention that this is a DVD - and even better than I thought; having written about it whilst listening. What I forgot to mention was the highly entertaining demonstration of the organ by Chapuis, with Bernard Aubertin compering the show. What was a real education was the extra section on the DVD marked 'crescendo' where Chapuis demonstrates a slow and smooth crescendo , from Unda Maris through to a ground shaking FFFF! Now for those of you joined and the hip to piston systems watch and learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Best wishes from Switzerland,

 

Hector (on his travels)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT

Michel Chapuis lives quite close to the Aubertin Atelier and was the organ teacher of Madame Aubertin in Strasbourg. He thus has been a natural supporter of the organ building fame and fortune of Bernard and has rejoiced as the fame grows from strength to strength in different countries throughout the world. His championing has brought a goodly number of commissions in Japan where he has been held in the highest esteem for many decades. The largest organ from Bernard up until the spectacular St Louis instrument in Paris two years ago, has been for the new concert hall of Shirane-Cho in 1993.

Almost every new organ has been 'opened' by Michel Chapuis both in France and in Japan. Dame Gillian Weir did the honours in Aberdeen.

M. Chapuis frequently has taken his students to see and play instruments in the different stages of construction. Therefore, it is splendid that he has been a part of the creation of this DVD.

 

Update Aubertin news.

1. St John's, Oxford all progresses extremely well and will be finished in the early to mid-Autumn. It has been seen by a number of influential UK musicians already.

2. A major English cathedral is exploring the possibilities of a new instrument (including a 64ft ravalement) to share the acoustic with the famous Willis.

3. A cathedral organist signed a contract at the start of this month for his new organ.

4. The last I heard was that an Englishman had or was about to, sign for a new house organ of 22 stops. I await full confirmation in the next couple of days.

5. The Abbey Church of Mariager (DK) (with its sensational acoustic) signed for a mighty new instrument earlier this month. This will be the first French instrument in Denmark (and one of only a handful in total from foreign builders) since Carlsberg installed the 20 stop Cavaillé-Coll in the Jesuskirken in 1890/91.

 

All best wishes,

Nigel

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