Saint Germain
des Prés
1, place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris1679 - Thierry
1759 - LA Clicquot
1772/79 - FH Clicquot
1810 - Somer (buffet)
1829 - Callinet
1864 - Stolz
1927 - Gutenschenritter
1973 - Haerpfer-Ermann (positif)1991/2005 - Fossaert
IV/56 - transmissions mécaniques - composition
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris,
dating to the 6th century, when a Benedictine abbey
was founded by Childebert, son of Clovis. During the
Middle Ages, the abbey was very powerful. The
Normans destroyed the abbey several times. Only the
marble columns in the triforium remain from the
original structure. The abbey was completely
destroyed during the Revolution, but the church was
spared and rebuilt in the 19th century; only one of the
3 original Romanesque belfries remained. The present
building is a fine example of Romanesque
architecture, in particular its tower and nave. The choir
is Gothic. For a time, the abbey was a pantheon for
Merovingian kings. Many of them were buried in the
Chapelle de St-Symphorien, which was restored in
1981. The colorful 19th-century frescoes in the nave
are by Hippolyte Flandrin, a pupil of the classical
master Ingres. Romanesque paintings were discovered
on the triumphal arch in the 1981 restorations. The
present classicising portal was built in 1606. The choir
provides an early example of flying buttresses.
Organiste titulaire
Jean-Paul Serra, Anne-Marie Blondel
Famous organists in the past:
Antoine Calvière, J.M. Beauvarlet-Charpentier,
Augustin Barié, André Marchal, André Isoir.
Concerts
Each 4th Sunday of the month, 3.30 PM
Messes avec orgue
Saturday 7.00 PM Sunday 11.00 AM Vidéo
Photo GO: Jeroen de Haan
This organ was built orginally for Saint-Victor by Thierry
in 1679. It was renovated by the Clicquots in the second
part of the 18th centuray. It was installed at Saint-
Germain-des-Prés in 1805-10 by Somer. A complete
reconstruction was done by Stoltz, turning the
instrument into a romantic instrument. In 1922-27 the
organ was again completely reconstructed by
Gutschenritter.
In 1970-1973 Haerpfer-Erman built a new instrument in
a French neo-classical style, incorporating 10 old stops.
The case of the GO dates to 1810, the positif to 1973. On
its towers resides Saint-Victor and some angles. 10 stops
date back to the 17th and 18th century (4 completely), 17
stops to Somer, 19 stops are new.
This organ is unique in Paris in the sense that it is built in
a neo-classical style favouring not German, but French
baroque music and also allows for a more symphonic
approach by the large Récit expressif that is included. It
sounds very well, also due to the beautiful acoustiscs of
the church.
Les orgues de Paris
Saint Germain
des Prés
1, place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris1679 - Thierry
1759 - LA Clicquot
1772/79 - FH Clicquot
1810 - Somer (buffet)
1829 - Callinet
1864 - Stolz
1927 - Gutenschenritter
1973 - Haerpfer-Ermann (positif)1991/2005 - Fossaert
IV/56 - transmissions mécaniques -
composition
Photo GO: Jeroen de Haan
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris, dating
to the 6th century, when a Benedictine abbey was founded by
Childebert, son of Clovis. During the Middle Ages, the abbey
was very powerful. The Normans destroyed the abbey several
times. Only the marble columns in the triforium remain from
the original structure. The abbey was completely destroyed
during the Revolution, but the church was spared and rebuilt
in the 19th century; only one of the 3 original Romanesque
belfries remained. The present building is a fine example of
Romanesque architecture, in particular its tower and nave.
The choir is Gothic. The present classicising portal was built in
1606. The choir provides an early example of flying
buttresses.
The organ was built orginally for Saint-Victor by Thierry in
1679. It was renovated by the Clicquots in the second part of
the 18th centuray. It was installed at Saint-Germain-des-Prés
in 1805-10 by Somer. A complete reconstruction was done by
Stoltz, turning the instrument into a romantic instrument. In
1922-27 the organ was again completely reconstructed by
Gutschenritter.
In 1970-1973 Haerpfer-Erman built a new instrument in a
French neo-classical style, incorporating 10 old stops. The
case of the GO dates to 1810, the positif to 1973. On its
towers resides Saint-Victor and some angles. 10 stops date
back to the 17th and 18th century (4 completely), 17 stops to
Somer, 19 stops are new.
This organ is unique in Paris in the sense that it is built in a neo-
classical style favouring not German, but French baroque music
and also allows for a more symphonic approach by the large
Récit expressif that is included. It sounds very well, also due to
the beautiful acoustiscs of the church.
Organiste titulaire:
Jean-Paul Serra, Anne-Marie Blondel
Famous organists in the past:
Antoine Calvière, J.M. Beauvarlet-Charpentier, Augustin Barié,
André Marchal, André Isoir.
Concerts
Each 4th Sunday of the month, 3.30 PM