Organs of Paris

Clichy-la-Garenne Saint-Vincent-de-Paul 96 bd Jean Jaurès, 92110 Clichy

Saint-Vincent-de-Paul was built in 1900 in a neo- gothic style, adjacent to the old church St Médard (dating from 1525), which had become too small for the growing congregation.

C1 1899-1900 In 1899, the organ builders John-Albert and Eugène Abbey constructed an organ for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, in the Palais des Lettres, des Sciences et des Arts. The organ case was designed by the renowned Art Nouveau architect Hector Guimard. The instrument was awarded the Grand Prize for Musical Instruments. After the Exposition Universelle, the organ was installed in 1901 in the Humbert de Romans hall, at the Catholic Cultural Center on rue Saint-Didier in Paris’s 16th arrondissement. In 1905, following the demolition of the Humbert de Romans hall, the Abbey organ was purchased, on the initiative of Father François-Eugène Martin, choirmaster, for the new church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Clichy. The organ was installed there the same year. The case was slightly modified on that occasion, with a reduction in the width of its façade so it could fit within the nave. The pedal division, originally placed on either side of the case, was moved to the rear of the instrument. 1941 The instrument, which had received little maintenance until then, was repaired. The organ builder Jean Perroux also installed a new blower. 1970 The organ was brought back into working order. The natural keys were re-covered with plastic, two new stops were added to the Grand Orgue on electric windchests, and the pedal windchest action, originally pneumatic, was electrified. Despite this work, the organ became unplayable from 1976 onwards. Between 1989 and 1999, a restoration was carried out by Bernard Raupp, based in Mirande (Gers). In 2006, a second blower was added and the wind system was separated; the instrument was also tuned and cleaned. This organ remains largely in its original state, apart from some modifications to the case due to the more limited space in the church. More information