Salon organ of Mme. Suzanne Flersheim

[Florian]

Hello!

Who knows what happened to the salon organ of Mme. Suzanne Flersheim (a wealthy Jewish patroness of the arts)?
It was the instrument on which Jean Langlais' "Te Deum" op. 9 was first performend by the composer on June 28, 1934. André Marchal often organized concerts at Mme. Flersheim's home by promising young organists (you can look up these facts in Ann Labounsky's book "Jean Langlais: The Man and His Music"). It's generally known that Jean Langlais was a close friend of Olivier Messiaen so it's possible that he played this organ also in the 1930ies.
A friend of mine who is an organologue found a picture of this organ in the "Molzer-Archive" (located at university of music and dramatic arts, institute of organ research in Vienna) showing the instrument in the assembly-hall of the organ builder "Rieger" in Jägerndorf (now Czech Republic). It was the opus 2091 and was built in 1919. The description of the picture indicates that Mme. Flersheim's home was in Rue Lisbonne in Paris (8. Arrondissement).
I also have an incomplete specification (unfortunately no couplers are known) which was published in the magazine "L'Orgue", number 83, avril-septembre 1957. The article is entitled "L'Orgue de Salon dans la région parisienne depuis un siècle" and was written by René Desplat. The author believes (1957) that this organ could be found in a church in Avenue du Maine in Paris.

Here the incomplete specification which was worked out by Jean Huré: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Hur%C3%A9

Grand-orgue expressif, CC-c’’’’’

Bourdon 16’ (l'octave de 32' en grosse quinte)
Montre 8’
Flûte en bois 8’
Salicet 4’
Mixture-cornet V

Récit expressif, CC-c’’’’’

Quintaton 8’
Dulciane 8’
Voix céleste 8’
Flûte 4’
Mixture III
Cromorne 8’
Basson-Hautbois 8’

Pédale, C-g’ (empruntée a l'octave inferieur)

Bourdon 32’ (acoustique)
Flûte 16’
Bourdon 16’
Basson 16’

two swell pedals, crescendo-roller

The first octave of Bourdon 16’ in Grand-orgue expressif is obtained acoustically.
All stops of the Pédale are transmissions and borrowed from the lowest octave.

The two manuals are notable; they have a compass of 7 octaves (85 notes!)

The resolution of the original picture is high enough to recognize the little levers for 4 free combinations.
Below the first manual you can see some thumb-pistons which I can’t adjoin for sure but I’m sure that 4 of them activate the free combinations. Other typical accessories would be "crescendo on/off", "reeds on/of", "fixed combinations", "manual registration on/off" etc.

Does anyone know a complete specification with all couplers and accessories? Who knows if this organ still exists?

Best regards,
Florian

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha Florian,

Welcome aboard - Please do make yourself feel right at home and stay for a spell.

WOW!!!

85-note manuals!!! Is that cool or what?!

I wonder if an email to the Rieger-Kloss Organ Builders might do the trick or at least get you part of the way closer to your goal. Florian, thanx for sharing - I shall begin looking into this too - don't know how far I'll get...

Cheers,

Corno Dolce

ps. The Rieger-Kloss web url:

http://www.rkorgans.com/contact_en.html

[Florian]

Dear Corno Dolce,

thank you for your answer. I will try to contact Rieger-Kloss.

Best regards,
Florian

[Corno Dolce]

Dear Sir,

I'm glad that I could be of some small service to you. Best wishes to your hunt as to the whereabouts of this instrument.

Cheers,

Corno Dolce

[Contratrombone64]

The author believes (1957) that this organ could be found in a church in Avenue du Maine in Paris.

Now where's the wonderful Musicallis when you need him??

[Beatrice]

Hello,

I'm french and my english is not very well, but I'm a musicologist and I work about jean Huré (french organist 1877-1930). In his correspondance I find a letter send by Andre Marchal to Jean Huré and he made a description of the Mrs Flersheim's organ. He explained to Jean Huré his motivations to the choices to make the organ. If you want a copy of the letter I can rewrite and send you. You can give me your mail and I give you.

Beatrice

Hello!

Who knows what happened to the salon organ of Mme. Suzanne Flersheim (a wealthy Jewish patroness of the arts)?
It was the instrument on which Jean Langlais' "Te Deum" op. 9 was first performend by the composer on June 28, 1934. André Marchal often organized concerts at Mme. Flersheim's home by promising young organists (you can look up these facts in Ann Labounsky's book "Jean Langlais: The Man and His Music"). It's generally known that Jean Langlais was a close friend of Olivier Messiaen so it's possible that he played this organ also in the 1930ies.
A friend of mine who is an organologue found a picture of this organ in the "Molzer-Archive" (located at university of music and dramatic arts, institute of organ research in Vienna) showing the instrument in the assembly-hall of the organ builder "Rieger" in Jägerndorf (now Czech Republic). It was the opus 2091 and was built in 1919. The description of the picture indicates that Mme. Flersheim's home was in Rue Lisbonne in Paris (8. Arrondissement).
I also have an incomplete specification (unfortunately no couplers are known) which was published in the magazine "L'Orgue", number 83, avril-septembre 1957. The article is entitled "L'Orgue de Salon dans la région parisienne depuis un siècle" and was written by René Desplat. The author believes (1957) that this organ could be found in a church in Avenue du Maine in Paris.

Here the incomplete specification which was worked out by Jean Huré: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Hur%C3%A9

Grand-orgue expressif, CC-c’’’’’

Bourdon 16’ (l'octave de 32' en grosse quinte)
Montre 8’
Flûte en bois 8’
Salicet 4’
Mixture-cornet V

Récit expressif, CC-c’’’’’

Quintaton 8’
Dulciane 8’
Voix céleste 8’
Flûte 4’
Mixture III
Cromorne 8’
Basson-Hautbois 8’

Pédale, C-g’ (empruntée a l'octave inferieur)

Bourdon 32’ (acoustique)
Flûte 16’
Bourdon 16’
Basson 16’

two swell pedals, crescendo-roller

The first octave of Bourdon 16’ in Grand-orgue expressif is obtained acoustically.
All stops of the Pédale are transmissions and borrowed from the lowest octave.

The two manuals are notable; they have a compass of 7 octaves (85 notes!)

The resolution of the original picture is high enough to recognize the little levers for 4 free combinations.
Below the first manual you can see some thumb-pistons which I can’t adjoin for sure but I’m sure that 4 of them activate the free combinations. Other typical accessories would be "crescendo on/off", "reeds on/of", "fixed combinations", "manual registration on/off" etc.

Does anyone know a complete specification with all couplers and accessories? Who knows if this organ still exists?

Best regards,
Florian

[teddy]

Two more new members Florian and Beatrice. I welcome you both to this forum and trust you will get as much pleasure from it as I do.

teddy