Organ database | Complete description

Complete description of the selected organ

Photo: Martin de Pooter

Carcassonne, France (Aude (11)) - Basilique Saint-Nazaire et Saint-Celse
Municipal: Carcassonne
Region:Languedoc-Roussillon
Address: Place Auguste Pierre-Pont, 11000, Carcassonne

Description nr.: 2000133.

Built by: Jean de Joyeuse (1679)

Year	Builder	Opus	Activity
1679	Jean de Joyeuse		new organ
1775	Jean-Pierre Cavaillé		rebuild
1904	Michel Roger		restoration and enlargement
1985	Bartoloméo Formentelli		reconstruction

The organ in the Basilique Saint-Nazaire in Carcassonne was built in the years 1677-1679 by Jean de Joyeuse. The organ was taken into use on March 18, 1679. It had 24 registers, three manuals (one of which was an echo keyboard) and pedal. In the church there was a small organ, built by Crespin Verniole from Poitiers in 1637. The case of this organ is used by De Joyeuse for a small new organ with five stops.
The large organ of the church was rebuilt by Jean-Pierre Cavaillé in the years 1772-1775. He made a back positive, and expanded the organ to 32 stops. The pedal was made independently with four stops. In the nineteenth century the instrument remained unchanged, but between 1900 and 1904 Michel Roger restored the work, with many changes. He also applied some new techniques, such as a Barker machine.
In 1970 the organ was placed on the list of protected monuments as a historic monument. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, it was reconstructed in 1985 by Formentelli. During this reconstruction, the work of De Joyeuse and Cavaillé was maintained in an organ with four keyboards and a free pedal with a classical design. The organ now has 40 stops.

Technical data

Number of stops per division
- Grand-Orgue	14
- Positif de Dos	9
- Positif Intérieur	9
- Récit	3
- Pédale	5
Total number of stops	40
Manual compass	CD-c'''
Pedal compass	CD-e'
Key action	Mechanical
Stop action	Mechanical
Windchest(s)	Slider chests

Specification
Grand-Orgue (CD-c'''): Bourdon 16', Montre 8', Bourdon à Cheminée 8', Prestant 4', Nazard 2 2/3', Doublette 2', Quarte de Nazard 2', Tierce 1 3/5', Fourniture 3 rangs, Cymbale 3 rangs, Grand Cornet 5 rangs, Trompette 8', Voix Humaine 8', Clairon 4'.
Positif de Dos (CD-c'''): Montre 8' (discant), Bourdon à Cheminée 8', Prestant 4', Nazard 2 2/3', Doublette 2', Tierce 1 3/5', Larigot 1 1/3', Plein Jeu 5 rangs, Cromorne 8'.
Positif Intérieur (CD-c'''): Bourdon à Cheminée 8', Flûte à Fuseau 4', Prestant 4', Nazard 2 2/3', Doublette 2', Tierce 1 3/5', Flageolet 1', Plein Jeu 4 rangs, Trompette 8'.
Récit (CD-c'''): Flûte à Cheminée 8', Cornet 4 rangs, Hautbois 8'.
Pédale: Flûte 8', Flûte 4', Bombarde 16', Trompette 8', Clairon 4'.
Couplers: Accouplement Positif Intérieur au Grand-Orgue, Accouplement Positif de Dos au Grand-Orgue, Tirasse Grand-Orgue, Tirasse Positif Intérieur.
Accessories: Tremblant Fort à vent perdu, Tremblant Doux dans le vent.

Literature	Orgues en Languedoc-Roussillon : Tome 1 : Aude - Pyrénées-Orientales. - Aix-en-Provence : Édisud ; Association Régionale des Activités Musicales en Languedoc-Roussillon (ARAM-LR), 1987. Les vents d'anges Carcassonne : du 30 mai au 29 août 2009. - Brochure.
Recordings	Gilles Julien : Livres d'Orgue / Pierre Perdigon. - Coriolan COR 312 008 (CD). Jacques Charpentier au Grand Orgue de la Basilique St Nazaire & St Celse de la Cité de Carcassonne / Jacques Charpentier. - 3D Classics 3dD8025 SM 63 (CD). - 1998.
Links	http://pagesperso-orange.fr/bbcp/english/cite/basilique/basilique.html

Photo: Martin de Pooter