Youtube — Dupré's home organ

[acc]

I think this is the first time the organ at Marcel Dupré's home in Meudon has been published on video:

+ YouTube Video

[methodistgirl]

Wow what an organ for someone's home. I would do well to fit an
accordion into my little apartment.
judy tooley

[Corno Dolce]

WOW!!! Thanx ACC - I have always wanted to hear that instrument - Thanx for sharing.

Cheers,

CD

[Corno Dolce]

Since our highly esteemed member ACC took from his valuable time and resources to share about Dupre's home organ in Meudon, methinks it would be fair to share about the up-and-coming *Wanamaker Of The Southwest*:

http://www.robrichards.com/biography.cfm?sr=31

[acc]

Corno Dolce,

This link refers to a CD recording made on that organ. You may also have a look at Haydn House's “organ loft” and search for “Falcinelli” for two futher CDs there.


Judy,

The first link above also shows the CD cover with a picture of the organ: to realize how big this instrument really is, notice the grand piano at the bottom left.

[Corno Dolce]

Hi ACC,

Thannx for sharing that web-url with me - Didn't know it existed.

Tante Grazie Signore!

Ciao,

CD

[Muza]

Is it just me or is there something off in the way he is playing that piece ...because it really hurts to listen...

[Krummhorn]

WOW!!! Thanx ACC - I have always wanted to hear that instrument - Thanx for sharing.

Cheers,CD

Hi Corno Dolce,
Indeed ... a splendid sounding organ.
Looked up the specs (Doehring's site) ... just 37 rks & no 32's - still a nice instrument to have had at home in one's private auditorium.

[Corno Dolce]

Dear Master Krummhorn,

Yes, Dupre was a lucky fella to have this instrument in his *Chambre de Musique*. I believe it has 73-note manuals to boot.

Cheers,

CD

[acc]

Yes, 73 notes indeed.

The original instrument was built by Cavaillé-Coll for Alexandre Guilmant (Dupré's organ teacher), who also lived in a villa in Meudon (just a stone's throw away from Dupré's). It had “only” three manuals, but already a 61 note manual compass, which was quite exceptional for Cavaillé-Coll. Guilmant died in 1911, but his organ remained in his villa for some time after that.

When Dupré settled in Meudon in 1925, he heard that Guilmant's heirs wanted to get rid of the organ, so he bought it. Then, in the 1930s, he transformed it quite extensively, adding a fourth manual, several stops, a combination system (looks funny now, but back then it was state-of-the-art) and that famous sixth octave to the manual compass.

[Corno Dolce]

Dear Master ACC,

Thou art a wellspring of knowledge - WOW!!! Thanx for proffering the *skinny* on the Meudon organ.

Cheers,

CD

[Contratrombone64]

Sounds like a fantasia on BWV 565 don't you think??

Also amazing that his "house organ" is four manuals, good GOD, where are all the pipes?

[Corno Dolce]

Mostly behind the facade bt a few make up the facade.

[Soubasse]

Now there's a marvellous gem indeed. I too have often wondered what that instrument must have sounded like. Wasn't it also this organ that inspired Albert Alain to build his (which I think was/is also 4 manuals)? There's a reasonable amount of reverberation too even from the camera mic so it's obviously a fair sized room.

I gather that the odd-looking "breadboard" right next to the console is the aforementioned stop combination system?

Also, is the house still in the Dupre family or is it now some sort of museum?

Many thanks for posting that ACC.

[Contratrombone64]

Soubasse- salient point: he earns far too much money (unlike poor ol' me).