Music sample
L. Vierne (1870-1937) - Kyrie for a solemn Ceremony op.16
for two organs and choir
Fragment of the ECHO-CD
Organist: Michel Bouvard
Saint-Sernin Cathedral
Cavaillé-Coll (1888)
| Grand-Orgue (C-g3) | Récit Expressif (C-g3) | Positif de Dos (C-g3) |
| Montre 16' | Quintaton 16' | Montre 8' |
| Bourdon 16' | Diapason 8' | Bourdon 8' |
| Montre 8' | Flûte harmonique 8' | Salicional 8' |
| Bourdon 8' | Viole de gambe 8' | Unda maris 8' |
| Flûte harmonique 8' | Voix céleste 8' | Prestant 4' |
| Salicional 8' | Flûte octaviante 4' | Flûte douce 4' |
| Gambe 8' | Octavin 2' | Carillon III |
| Prestant 4' | Cornet V | Trompette 8' |
| Flûte octaviante 4' | Bombarde 16' | Basson-Hautbois 8' |
| Quinte 2' 2/3 | Trompette harmonique 8' | Clairon 4' |
| Doublette 2' | Clarinette 8' | |
| Fourniture V | Basson-Hautbois 8' | |
| Cymbale IV | Voix humaine 8' | |
| Cornet V | Clairon harmonique 4' | |
| Bombarde 16' | ||
| Trompette 8' | ||
| Clairon 4' | ||
| Trompette en chamade 8' | ||
| Clairon en chamade 4' | ||
| Pedal (C-f1) | Accessoires | |
| Principal-basse 32' | Orage | Trémolo |
| Contrebasse 16' | Pédale en 4 | GO en 16 |
| Soubasse 16' | Tirasse GO | Appel GO |
| Flûte 8' | Tirasse Pos | Pos/GO |
| Violoncelle 8' | Tirasse Réc | R/GO |
| Octave 4' | Anches Péd | Pos/R |
| Bombarde 32' | Anches GO | R en 16 |
| Bombarde 16' | Anches Pos | Appel R |
| Trompette 8' | Anches réc | annul Pos en 8 |
| Clairon 4' | Chamades | octave grav. |
| Expression R | ||
In the 5th century, a sanctuary, built outside the walls of Toulouse to host the Saint-Sernin relics, marks the date of birth of the cathedral. A monastery is adjoined to the church in the 9th century, to be inhabited by the canons. The amendment of this community in the llth century facilitates an afflux of donations, that will enable to tackle a grand architectural site. This new cathedral was to ease the prayers of the masses of pilgrims that were attracted by the important relics still entombed in the church.
By 1096, when pope Urbain II inaugurated the high altar, the quire and parts of the transept had been erected. Progress slowed down in medieval times, with the nave not being roofed before the 14th century. At-that time, the building was considered the largest Romanesque church of Christianity.
The organ on the gallery of Saint-Sernin cathedral in Toulouse is one of the blossoms of French organ craftsmanship of the outgoing 19th century.
Delivered in 1889, it is one of the master-works of the ingenious organ-builder ARISTIDE CAVAILLÉ-COLL, who was able to give the huge church an instrument remarkably well-adapted to the dimensions of the nave, without lapsing into megalomania. This was achieved by a very prudent composition of the work, deviating from beaten tracks and focussing on the core, and by the intonation from the hands of Félix Reinburg, which is exquisite and powerful at the same time.
We can read in the memoirs of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll's children:
"At the age of 78 years, in April 1889, he travelled to Toulouse and attended the inauguration of his organ in Saint-Sernin, carried out by Cuilmant and Omer Cuiraud, custodian of the organ."
This new organ incorporates three manuals, pedal and 54 stops. Though relatively small in terms of number of stops and in comparison with the Cavaillé-Coll instruments in Saint-Sulpice (1862) and Notre-Dame de Paris (1868), it soon became legendary for the sublimity of its sonority and for the amazing corpulence of the tutti.
Although the organ of Saint-Sernin did not undergo any veritable restoration prior to recent works, some small modifications during the second half of the 2oth century have to be mentioned, concerning bellows as well as the altering, replacing and adding of certain stops.
Following the general restoration by Boisseau & Cattiaux between 1992 and 1996, carried out in collaboration with Patrice Bellet, the instrument was inaugurated in the course of the first festival Toulouse Les Orgues on October 11th, 1996.
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