Palace of Versailles Chapel Organ

The current chapel of Versailles, a two-story chapel, is the fifth at the palace. Construction began in 1689 and was completed around 1710. It features a tribune on the same level as the royal apartments, overlooking the nave, where the kings would sit when they attended mass; with a side gallery for the ladies of the Court, and the ground floor for the rest of the attendees.

The Palace of Versailles organ was built by François-Henri Cliquot (1710), and inaugurated by François Couperin on Easter Day 1711.  The organ case is made by Philippe Bertrand (1708). During the French revolution the organ was vandalized.

During the ensuing years, 1871-1873, Cavaillé-Coll built a 2 manual instrument. In 1936, The Cavaillé-Coll was sold to the Séminaire de Châteaugiron (and later to the Saint Martin church in Rennes). In 1936, Victor Gonzalez made a reproduction of the Clicquot-instrument of 1710. In 1995, a completely new instrument was built by Jean-Loup Boisseau of Bertrand Cattiaux, based on the Francois-Henri Clicquot organ of 1710.


Titulaire Organists:
Michel Bouvard, Francois Epinasse, Frédéric Desenclos, Jean-Baptiste Robin

Titulair-honoraire Organist:
Michel Chapius

Famous organists in the past:
Nivers, Lebègue, Couperin, Marchand, D'Aquin, Balbastre

  

L'orgue de BOISSEAU & CATTIAUX 1995 

Positif, 50 notes, ut1 à ré5, sans premier ut#:

Montre 8' 

Prestant 4'

Doublette 2'

Plein-Jeu VI

Bourdon 8'

Flûte 4'

Nasard 2 2/3'

Tierce 1 3/5'

Larigot 1 1/3

Trompette 8'

Cromorne 8'

Grand Orgue, 50 notes, ut1 à ré5, sans premier ut#:

Montre 8'

Prestant 4'

Doublette 2'

Fourniture IV

Cymbale IV 

Bourdon 16'

Bourdon 8'

Dessus de flûte 8' au ut3

Grande Tierce 3 1/5'

Nasard 2 2/3'

Quarte 2'

Tierce 1 3/'5'

Cornet V

Trompette 8'

Clairon 4'

Voix humaine 

Récit, sol2 à ré5

Cornet V

Trompette

Hautbois  

Echo, sol2 à ré5

Bourdon 8'/Flûte 4'

Cornet III

Voix Humaine 8'  

Pédale, ut1 à fa3 avec la0 sur premier ut#

Flûte 8'

Flûte 4'

Trompette 8'

Clairon 4'  

Copula à tiroir: Pos/GO; & GO/RécitTirasses: GO Tremblant fort et doux

François-Henri Cliquot (1710)

Cavaillé-Coll (1871-1873)

Victor Gonzalez (1936)

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