Fresnes, Saint-Eloi

Pl. de l'Église, 94260 Fresnes

1768 - Joseph de Fuentes y Ferrer (1)

2014 - Frédéric Desmottes (5)

I/11 - Transmission mécanique

Composition

The organ, built in 1768 for the convent of Buenafuente del Sistal, never having undergone any transformation, was restored in 2014 by the workshop of the Desmottes brothers with a view to its installation in the church of Saint-Éloi. The instrument is typically Castilian in its workmanship. It has a 45-key keyboard with a short octave, bone- decorated ebony feints, and bone-plated steps. The organcase, with a central panel and four side panels, is entirely decorated with tempera scrolls in red and blue tones; the boundary between the upper and lower bodies of the organcase bears two rows of chamade pipes, corresponding to the Bajoncillo and Clarín half- registers. All registers are cut in bass and above between C3 and C#3. The façade pipes correspond to the 4' Watch register. The stops are old (Joseph Fuentes y Ferrer, 1786), except for the Trompeta Real 8' and the Cimbala IIIrgs, which are completely new (Desmottes, 2014). They are made of metal with the exception of the first 8 basses of the 8' Violin (Bourdon 8', from C 1 to Bb 1), which are made of wood. Pipes cut to tone. Fabric alloy composed of 52% tin and 48% lead. The bevels of the pipes are made of hammered lead, without teeth. It is tuned to 392 Hz. The two wedge-shaped bellows are new and produce a wind pressure of 65 mm. Source

The church of Saint-Éloi was built in the twelfth century on the site of a very old oratory, located on the edge of the seigneury of Cottinville, probably on the site of the current chapel of the Virgin. The village of Fresnes was then erected as a parish in the thirteenth century from the transfer of property to the chapter of Notre-Dame in 1211 and became "Sanctus Elipius de Fraxinis" attached to the deanery of Linas. It was at this time that the church consecrated to Saint-Éloi, bishop of Noyon, Dagobert's minister, was built. The origin of the church of Saint-Éloi is therefore very old, but the successive restorations it has undergone no longer allow us to assign it a very specific style. Moreover, only the choir belongs to the time of the foundation. Everything else was rebuilt in the sixteenth century. The bell of which the Count of Clermont and his friend, Mademoiselle Leduc, were the godparents in 1749, still exists. The church continued to suffer alternately deterioration, repairs and works, especially in 1891. Most of its furniture and all of its stained glass windows date from the nineteenth century. In 1973, the west, east and south facades of the church were restored. Source

Organist Anne-Marie Blondel Concerts Frequently Masses with organ A second church was built in Fresnes in 1958: Notre- Dame-de-la-Merci. It has become the most frequented church, so that Saint-Éloi is only used for weekday services, funerals, and a few weddings. Video Anne-Marie Blondel Photos: Jeroen de Haan

Organs of Paris

Fresnes, Saint-Eloi

Pl. de l'Église, 94260 Fresnes

1768 - Joseph de Fuentes y Ferrer (1)

2014 - Frédéric Desmottes (5)

I/11 - Transmission mécanique

Composition

The organ, built in 1768 for the convent of Buenafuente del Sistal, never having undergone any transformation, was restored in 2014 by the workshop of the Desmottes brothers with a view to its installation in the church of Saint-Éloi. The instrument is typically Castilian in its workmanship. It has a 45-key keyboard with a short octave, bone-decorated ebony feints, and bone-plated steps. The organcase, with a central panel and four side panels, is entirely decorated with tempera scrolls in red and blue tones; the boundary between the upper and lower bodies of the organcase bears two rows of chamade pipes, corresponding to the Bajoncillo and Clarín half-registers. All registers are cut in bass and above between C3 and C#3. The façade pipes correspond to the 4' Watch register. The stops are old (Joseph Fuentes y Ferrer, 1786), except for the Trompeta Real 8' and the Cimbala IIIrgs, which are completely new (Desmottes, 2014). They are made of metal with the exception of the first 8 basses of the 8' Violin (Bourdon 8', from C 1 to Bb 1), which are made of wood. Pipes cut to tone. Fabric alloy composed of 52% tin and 48% lead. The bevels of the pipes are made of hammered lead, without teeth. It is tuned to 392 Hz. The two wedge-shaped bellows are new and produce a wind pressure of 65 mm. Source

Organist Anne-Marie Blondel Concerts Frequently Masses with organ A second church was built in Fresnes in 1958: Notre-Dame-de- la-Merci. It has become the most frequented church, so that Saint-Éloi is only used for weekday services, funerals, and a few weddings. Video Anne-Marie Blondel Photos: Jeroen de Haan