Barry Oakley Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 Some words from Olivier Latry: Dear all, In these tragic times for the Cathedral, you have been extremely numerous to send me words of support, more moving than the others res, either by e-mail, SMS, FaceBook, Instagram or by calling. I will never thank you for that. I would have liked to be able to respond personally to each of you, but given the urgency of the situation, it is unfortunately not possible for me, at least for the moment. I hope you will not hold me against it. Our Lady, who had resisted revolutions and wars, went up in smoke in a few moments. 855 years missing in four hours ... Like you, I feel an enormous sadness, anger contained, a total dejection. The images that are given to us to see are atrocious. How not to believe in a bad dream? Reality catches us unfortunately hard. Despite all the damage to the Cathedral, the organ miraculously escaped the flames, and also the water supposed to extinguish them. It is very dusty, but can continue to move us as soon as its case has regained its magnificence. When? No one knows it today. "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it. Is it said in the Gospel of St. John. It will surely take more time in Notre-Dame, but I have confidence and hope. With all my friendly thoughts. Olivier Latry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolsey Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 3 hours ago, Barry Oakley said: Some words from Olivier Latry: Dear all, In these tragic times for the Cathedral, you have been extremely numerous to send me words of support, more moving than the others res, either by e-mail, SMS, FaceBook, Instagram or by calling. I will never thank you for that. [...] With all my friendly thoughts. Olivier Latry He actually said, "I will never thank you enough for that." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P DeVile Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 10 hours ago, contraviolone said: That is amazing! It is. Looks from that photo as if case and pipes will need a good cleaning but no doubt the mighty beast will roar again in the not too distant future. Deo Gratias. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robinson Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 14 hours ago, Paul Isom said: This has just popped up on social media - the first photo of the organ after the fire. It’s really quite remarkable. Excellent news. Presumably, funds will be found from all the generous contributions for restoration of the cathedral to ensure a full cleaning and any other work needed to make the organ sing again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S_L Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 M. Macron has said that Notre Dame will be rebuilt within five years and, I have a suspicion that he will ensure that this is achieved if only for his own political ends! I think what concerns me is the way it will be restored. Our village church has just spent two years being restored. It is an ancient building, a Templar church, nearly 1000 years old and, living within 500 yards of it, I have to have specific permission to rebuild or even replace any building on my property. The restoration is now complete and I would have thought that our, twice yearly, Mass might resume - but the doors remain firmly locked on a Sunday. There was a funeral the other day and I attended the Mass! English heritage would have a fit! Plaster had been chipped off the walls and replaced with new plaster and then somebody, very carefully, had painted the new plaster white and drawn red lines all over it to simulate stonework. The outside of the building was cleaned - not with high pressure water but with a industrial electric sander, thereby removing a substantial amount of the already quite soft stone. The ancient door has been painted a nasty colour of brown rather than be carefully restored. And it is like that all over France and not only in little village churches. My daughter was in Chartres cathedral some time ago - they were cleaning the stone in the choir! Actually they weren't cleaning it - they were painting it - white! She was horrified. There was a discussion some time ago concerning the new console at Notre Dame and many members thought it not to be in keeping with the architecture of the building. Be prepared for some interesting developments at Notre Dame. The French idea of restoration is very different from what you would be allowed to do in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Pykett Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 SL's post reminded me of a not completely unrelated situation which exists in the UK. If your land is current or former Glebe Land (that owned by the CofE where the incumbent was a Rector rather than a Vicar) then you might well have (possibly unbeknown to yourself) what is called Chancel Repair Liability, where the PCC has the right to come to you for all or part of the money for restoration or repair of the east end of the building. At the same time you would have no right of input into what work is planned or actually carried out - your function is just to fund it. And if this sounds academic, it isn't. This legislation has real teeth, as evidenced by a case in the early 2000's which bankrupted a couple who tried to fight it in the civil courts. So if you live in an old rectory, or in a road with a name such as Parsonage Close, Glebe Road, etc, then watch out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeron Glyn Preston Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 I know that couple well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choir Man Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 The photos of the Grand Organ suggest that it's only a bit sooty. However we should not forget that with fire burning on the nave floor, it will have got a bit warmer than it would normally be used to, so there may be unseen heat damage. It's early days yet and the surveyors, architects and engineers are still working out how to repair the building. However there is still the possibility of further damage if the organ is not protected. The building has great holes in the roof and, although sheltered between the towers, the organ is in a space that is essentially open to the elements. Also the reconstruction of the building will create large quantities of dust which need to be kept away from the instrument. Does anyone know the condition of the choir organ? I seem to remember reading somewhere that it had been "well watered" by the firefighters trying to preserve the woodwork of the choir. Olivier Latry is keeping busy with his other work while NDP is out of action. He's playing at Southwark Cathedral on 9th May and has a Proms billing on 4 August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Carr Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 Some news about the organ of Notre Dame de Paris today from organ builders Pascal Quoirin: “After two hours of examination of the instrument I did not notice any damage that could have been caused by the fire. Simply dust, a clean, light brown dust a bit like sand, non sticky dry dust. There was a thermometer with memory inside the instrument, it indicates a temperature of 17 degrees the day of the fire. So no degradation of the pipes or all the electronic components. In a fortnight we will be able to turn the organ on to be able to make a more detailed diagnosis, in particular on the state of the wind chests, but frankly I am very optimistic. The ideal will be to confine the organ in a well sealed and air-conditioned cage. Then do the dusting, rank by rank and play the organ regularly. And finally, dismantle the cage when the building restoration is complete and tune it.” The fact that the temperature appears to have remained stable while the fire was raging above the vaulting is astonishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowland Wateridge Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 At St George’s Hall today Ian Tracey announced that there is to be a recital in aid of Notre Dame to be given by David Briggs at Liverpool Cathedral on Saturday 29th June at 7.30 pm. The programme includes David Briggs’ own transcriptions of Pierre Cochereau’s improvisations. See organrecitals.com for the full programme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 6 hours ago, Rowland Wateridge said: At St George’s Hall today Ian Tracey announced that there is to be a recital in aid of Notre Dame to be given by David Briggs at Liverpool Cathedral on Saturday 29th June at 7.30 pm. The programme includes David Briggs’ own transcriptions of Pierre Cochereau’s improvisations. See organrecitals.com for the full programme. That looks an excellent programme: music by organists of Notre Dame (Antoine Calviere, for anyone not in the know, was at Notre Dame 1730-1755). If by chance I find myself up that way I will go. One point of note, however, is that someone got Vierne's first name slightly wrong..... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 It has recently been decreed by the French Senate that Nôtre-Dame de Paris will be restored to the last known state prior to the conflagration. Personally, if this is carried out, I would regard it as something of a relief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 4 minutes ago, pcnd5584 said: It has recently been decreed by the French Senate that Nôtre-Dame de Paris will be restored to the last known state prior to the conflagration. Personally, if this is carried out, I would regard it as something of a relief. Yes - but also a relief to see that you are not lost to us, pcnd - and I am sure I speak for all your old forum friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Martin - thank you for your kind words. I have the rest of the evening off, and suddenly remembered the Mander board, and my friends here. I am hoping to find the topic on the York Minster organ, and to read Robert Sharpe's rationale - so I shall now have a look at the other parts of this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraviolone Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 7 minutes ago, pcnd5584 said: It has recently been decreed by the French Senate that Nôtre-Dame de Paris will be restored to the last known state prior to the conflagration. Personally, if this is carried out, I would regard it as something of a relief. This was covered recently in the national press, notably the Daily Telegraph. Despite the decree from the French Senate, the idea has been proposed to construct the roof and spire in the same form as before, but made of glass. This would no doubt be striking, but I'm not sure if this would be universally popular, or indeed fall within the remit of the legislation passed by the Senate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraviolone Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 3 minutes ago, pcnd5584 said: Martin - thank you for your kind words. I have the rest of the evening off, and suddenly remembered the Mander board, and my friends here. I am hoping to find the topic on the York Minster organ, and to read Robert Sharpe's rationale - so I shall now have a look at the other parts of this forum. I would certainly be interested in your views with regard to the revised specification of the York Minster organ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robinson Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 22 minutes ago, contraviolone said: I would certainly be interested in your views with regard to the revised specification of the York Minster organ. Moi aussi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowland Wateridge Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 This has been mentioned already: David Briggs' recital in aid of Notre Dame, 7.30 pm Saturday 29th June in Liverpool Cathedral. This is the programme: Pierre Cochereau (1924-1984) trans. David Briggs: Two improvisations on ‘La Marseillaise’ Pierre Cochereau trans. Jeanne Joulain: Neuf Pièces improvisés en form de ‘Suite Française’: Kyrie (sur le Grand Plein Jeu) - Offertoire sur le Grand Jeu - Cromorne en taille Basse et Dessus de Trompette - Grand Plein Jeu Antoine Calvière (1685-1755): Pièce en trio Louis Vierne: Pièces de Fantaisie: ‘Etoile du Soir’ - Impromptu - Toccata in Bb minor Léonce de S Martin (1886-1954): Méditation sur le Salve Regina Pierre Cochereau trans. David Briggs: Variations on “Alouette, gentille Alouette”: Theme - Fileuse (Spinning Wheel) - Lent - Agité (Fonds 16’ 8’ 4’) Tierce en Taille - Trio - Scherzo - Flutes - Intermezzo - Final Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S_L Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Mass is to be said in Notre Dame this evening, Saturday June 16th, for the first time since the fire. For safety reasons it is being said in the Chapel of the Virgin, on the east side of the cathedral, behind the choir, with a small number of invited guests who will be required to wear hard-hats and will be celebrated by the Archbishop of Paris, Mgr. Aupetit. The Mass is to be televised on French Catholic TV Channel KTO. June 16th has been chosen as it is the date of the anniversary of the consecration of the Cathedral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 A couple of updates on this which I don't think have been posted to this forum yet. 1. The "Organs of Paris" page on Facebook has posted that, and I quote, "the church of Saint Germain l'Auxerrois, located near the Louvre, will temporarily serve as the place where the 'cathedral liturgy' will be held during the restoration of Notre-Dame. From September onwards, the masses of Notre-Dame will be celebrated there, including the broadcasts of KTO. The church has two organs. The great organ is built by Francois-Henri Clicquot. In the 19th century, the diapasons were modified by Dallery, Ducroquet and Merklin, but its classical grand jeu survived. The choir organ is built by Abbey, but underwent several modifications in time. Maintenance works are scheduled on both organs this summer." 2. The recent edition of Choir & Organ magazine for July / August 2019 reports in its news section that the console of Notre-Dame's grand organ is unusable: the electrics and electronic system are entirely out of service so the console must be rebuilt. It could also be that dismantling of the organ is underway or has been completed already: the same article also says that "Bertrand Cattiaux, who visited the instrument in May, commented that it is still unknown what corrosive effect the greasy dust from the fire may have; he felt it crucial therefore for the pipework to be dismantled and cleaned without delay (the case still remains in place)." Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomeChap Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Many thanks to all for updates. It makes sense for there to be an English language source of the latest news on this organ, and this might as well be it. Does M Cattiaux 'do' social media? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowOrg Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 1 hour ago, SomeChap said: Does M Cattiaux 'do' social media? https://www.facebook.com/OrguesCattiaux/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iy45 Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 22 hours ago, DaveHarries said: The recent edition of Choir & Organ magazine for July / August 2019 reports in its news section that the console of Notre-Dame's grand organ is unusable: the electrics and electronic system are entirely out of service so the console must be rebuilt. That'll teach 'em for removing Vierne's console! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damian Beasley-Suffolk Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 Vierne's console is still there, in some side room in the tower, along with the restored positif case. You never know ... https://www.atelier-quoirin.com/NDP-Positif.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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