Notre Dame de Paris- new appointment causes some disquiet

[Arp Schnitger]

Notre Dame de Paris have announced their new team of organists ahead of the reopening of the Cathedral.

https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/nomination-de-quatre-organistes-a-notre-dame-de-paris/

However, the sidelining of long-standing organists Philippe Lefevre (co-titulaire des Grandes orgues) and Johann Vexo (assistant/deputy choir organist) and the appointment of a 21 year old student as one of the team, without a competition, has caused some disquiet in the French professional organist community. The appointment has also been made of Thierry Escaich as one of the co-titulaires, though the petition seems to accept this on the basis of his established record.

https://www.change.org/p/notre-dame-de-paris-à-nouveau-en-feu-contre-la-nomination-des-futurs-organistes
(there is a translation halfway down the page)

Also find biographies of the new team at https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Biographies-Organistes-titulaires-de-Notre-Dame.pdf

 

[Choir Man]

It should be borne in mind that Philip Lefebvre is now 75 years old and Jean-Pierre Leguay will shortly be 85. Both formally retired following the fire and have been appointed organist emeritus which is, at it seems to me, what would be expected. I'm sure both will have the opportunity to play following the re-opening of the cathedral.

Johann Vexo now holds two teaching posts in Strasbourg as well as being Titulaire at Nancy. Perhaps he didn't want to return to Paris, we don't know.

I'm not sure what the petitioners hope to acheive by asking for the clock to be wound back 5 years. Had the fire not happened, would we expect the same team that was at the cathedral in 2019 to be unchanged in 2024?

Of course we don't know what the organists themselves think of the new appointments.

The appointmnet of a young assistant organist with Thibault Fajoles, seems a sensible addition to the team, whatever the selection process may have been.

[Adnosad]

Would appear that our cousins across the channel have their own particular political agenda with regard to this appointment.

Wonder if they will react in their usual style by taking to the streets of Paris?

I would suggest  ( IMHO only, that is ) that they should get a grip of themselves and count their blessings in their good fortune in the fact that the organ survived the fire and has had the funds available for its repair/ restoration.

As you state, the previous incumbents are somewhat geriatric now and have relinquished their posts anyway even though their decisions may have been, shall we say, " influenced " ?      

This is an ideal opportunity for the authorities concerned to inject some new life blood ; what do these petitioners want ?  Winch these old timers up to the console?    Have them finally pegging out over the claviers perhaps?

Maybe when the new incumbents come to give their opening recitals they may well be accompanied by balloons and party blowers; let`s wait and see!

Would not be surprised if we should hear if the Academie has had some input 

One thing is for sure however - at least Our  Cousins are prepared to show a bit more backbone with their concern and support than we would have here in Good `0l Blighty; should the occasion show itself.

 

[contraviolone]

I'm sure changes in the team of organists were to be expected. It would be a shame though if Johann Vexo were longer in the team.

I think of more interest will be the results of the rebuilding of the Notre Dame instrument. I'm sure everything will be the same as before, but there has been conflicting information with regard to the console. It was initially suggested that a new one would be built, but latest news suggests the current version is being restored. 

The replacement of the Orgue de Choeur will certainly be of interest, apparently this will be new with an expanded specification. Again there is very little information on the details of what this will be, apart from the comment of the addition of 'new colours'. Perhaps we can expect more weird and wonderful mutations in the new instrument.

Some were hoping that the rebuild would afford the opportunity of the re-instatement of the Positif de Dos, the furniture of which was restored before the fire and hangs in the workshop wall in the upper galleries. Pierre Cochereau wanted this restored with a planned eighteen new stops, but it never happened, and it's a shame in a way it won't happen now either.

 

 

[Adnosad]

At times I do wonder at this instrument and think to myself that CC must be spinning in his shroud at what has been done to " improve " it over the years.     Has to be said that in reality it became a vehicle for satisfying Cochereau and his huge ego . This piece of artillery could quite easily be reduced by at least 1/3rd with no detriment to the overall tonal effect  -    and he planned to enlarge it further ? ?  !!

This  (IMHO ) is size for the pure sake of size, bit like Liverpool Anglican where they have installed an " Echo Section " comprising I believe 5 stops (  I stand to be corrected on this one )   Since under the new regime they only use the instrument mainly as a hymn accompanying machjne  this would seem to serve no other purpose than fulfilling the terms of the original specification; and the egos of certain individuals.

Like ND,  at least 1/3rd  of this instrument could safely disappear unnoticed but no, the expenditure went ahead on a " full restoration " but the  begging buckets are still out.

Getting back to ND and the console.  I never could understand why they replaced the classic CC console with its classic , sensual curves  with a grim copy of what is essentially an English console .  My impression of this type of console is more akin to staring at a sharks open mouth than anything else.

To finish this diatribe  I will return to the shores of  Good `OL Blighty  just to say that the work of CC seems to be providing  more of a source of interest with regards to Notre Dame for Good `Ol Johnny English than the current project still under way at Manchester and the hope that it may reach completion by next year, and the unfortunately unchanging situation with regard to  the Parr Hall instrument.

[Classic car man]

Without wishing to hijack this ND thread, Adnosad, Liverpool Cathedral's Echo Division has 13 speaking stops, plus couplers and transfers, and was paid for from a single bequest, completely unrelated to the main organ restoration appeal.   Yes, the fundraising continues (the 1977 Solid State diode transmission system is overdue for replacement) as a way of safeguarding the future spending needs of the instrument.  Yes the bean counters have brought the Bank Holiday Monday Organ Recitals to an end, but the instrument is most certainly not used mainly as a hymn accompanying machine.  There are organ recitals on most Sundays during term time and the highly skilled choir continues to sing services 6 days a week - Howells Westminster this week, Col Reg last . . .

The Echo Division not only fulfills Goss-Custard's original vision for the organ, it also enables the Choir to sing accompanied music from the High Altar, a position they often sing from but have only been able to sing unaccompanied stuff as the position of the main organ isn't practical to use to accompany.   Come along to the October anniversary recital and hear it for yourself!  Maybe I should start a new thread about the work and post some photos of work so far.

Finally, removing 1/3 of the organ would not go un-noticed.  One of the real glories of the instrument is that each division has a complete specification and the musical use of the instrument would be the poorer not having the breadth of stops it has available.

I quite agree about Warrington!

Adrian

[John Robinson]

A question if I may, regarding the accompaniment of the choir at the high altar.  Could you explain where the Echo division will be/is sited?  I was under the impression that it was going to be placed above one side of the main organ in what you might call the clerestory level.  Surely, up there it would be even more distant from the high altar than any other part of the organ.

[Classic car man]

Of course John.  The Echo Division is in the first full bay of the Triforium, on the South Side, so just to the side, and above the altar.  The roof shape up there is like a funnel and channels the sound down to floor level beautifully.   The Division was never due to be directly above the main organ, although it is rather higher than it (there are about 40 stairs up to the bottom of the main chamber and there are 136 stairs up to the Echo!)

A

[John Robinson]

Thank you, Classic Car Man.

That makes sense.  I hadn't realised that it was to be placed so far east and, of course as you say, the stone vaulting would reflect the sound downwards.
Incidentally, yes, I suppose it is better described as the 'triforium' rather than the 'clerestory', as there are no windows there... I think!

[Adnosad]

21 hours ago, Classic car man said:

Without wishing to hijack this ND thread, Adnosad, Liverpool Cathedral's Echo Division has 13 speaking stops, plus couplers and transfers, and was paid for from a single bequest, completely unrelated to the main organ restoration appeal.   Yes, the fundraising continues (the 1977 Solid State diode transmission system is overdue for replacement) as a way of safeguarding the future spending needs of the instrument.  Yes the bean counters have brought the Bank Holiday Monday Organ Recitals to an end, but the instrument is most certainly not used mainly as a hymn accompanying machine.  There are organ recitals on most Sundays during term time and the highly skilled choir continues to sing services 6 days a week - Howells Westminster this week, Col Reg last . . .

The Echo Division not only fulfills Goss-Custard's original vision for the organ, it also enables the Choir to sing accompanied music from the High Altar, a position they often sing from but have only been able to sing unaccompanied stuff as the position of the main organ isn't practical to use to accompany.   Come along to the October anniversary recital and hear it for yourself!  Maybe I should start a new thread about the work and post some photos of work so far.

Finally, removing 1/3 of the organ would not go un-noticed.  One of the real glories of the instrument is that each division has a complete specification and the musical use of the instrument would be the poorer not having the breadth of stops it has available.

I quite agree about Warrington!

Adrian

Thank You for your input on this matter.  Please do start a thread on Liverpool.   I admit that whilst I shrink in horror at the massive expenditure  " invested " in this behemoth I do actually enjoy hearing it in the flesh,so to speak, probably this stems from my fathers association with NR whilst they were students at Manchester.

However I still stand by my views with regard to " rationalising " the instrument;  In actuality the whole instrument is really one Echo Organ , especially if one regards the buildings acoustic as yet another stop.

Thank you for the inf` in your post re` the actual number of stops on the Echo.   Surprisingly I have just been clearing a load of junk out of some old files and what dropped out, but a copy of the original specification  which lists the number of Echo Division stops at a grand total of 23!     

This really smacks of guilding the lilly, to use a terrible phrase. I do not really see what the problem is in accompanying the choir in the chancel/altar area since the organ is already bearing down on them over their heads. adding more artillery is not going to really improve matters .

I think that part of the original design was for an Antiphonal Section to have been built so as to give a clearer distribution of sound in the nave.  There is quite an effective mid-nave section but to be honest if one is seated more than half way down the nave the choir sounds more reminiscent of owls hooting than what is actually intended.

As I stated previously, size over size, to essentially satisfy a somewhat anachronistic whim.

I suppose if I was playing/performing I would view the situation in completely different terms!