Michel Chapuis. St-Ouen. 'Grand Jeu Classique' Improvisation.

[1JeanDeaux]

Thank you.

[kyotokid4]

..to be able to improvise in various historic styles is a talent so rare these days.

[mecheverriadiaz]

Preciosísimo.

[Pijpenstemmer]

Perfect!!!!!!! Greetings from Holland!

[florin11bv]

LE vrai improvisateur liturgique, de la plus haute classe.

Un style digne de Notre Dame de Paris. Beaucoup plus profond que Latry.

[vleermuisje2]

Geweldig mooi!

Hartelijk dank.

[AphazelMorket]

Simply amazing.

[christianvs1]

WOW!!! This is what one gets when one studies the genres of organ composition while still nursing at ones mother's breast!!! Just stunning really...... this is how most organists improvised until the 60s when curriculi at conservatories admited the "either or" relaxation to the programme- EITHER improvisation OR composition. Gosh, good that the Paris Conservatoire kept it!

[rkolabhai]

@lanthe22 There was a fugal section just at 0:48 (much like the final section of Couperin's Messe propre pour les convents etc). I originally typed "I always feel completely inept when I see the great organists improvise a fugal bit so effortlessly", but it didn't nearly give them the credit they deserve, since they could just as effortlessly improvise full fugues in any case (not to mention the fact that it doesn't quite have the same ring to it). I had a feeling I'd be caught out, though.

[rkolabhai]

Brilliant. I always feel completely inept when I see the great organists improvise fugues so effortlessly. -_- Ah well. I'll get there someday. :)

[Ianthe22]

@rkolabhai Was that a fugue? Didn't sound so for me.

[GJmusique]

Splendid. I like how he removed the sheet music stand to emphasize it's an improvisation :)

Btw.. is it me or does he wear shoes with no heels at all? Try play Vierne's Final from the 6th with that... good luck :)

[ds1868]

@GJmusique He is one of the finest organists in the world. He won't need them, and could probably play it in his sleep.

[simonsteam]

WOW great organist.

[josephR1938]

For being an elder and with gnarled hands, Michel Chapuis' playing is superb!!!

I know nothing about him except what I see and hear here, but I feel love, res[ect and admiration for this kindly gentleman. Long may he play!!!

[florin11bv]

@josephR1938

Monsieur Chapuis (born 1930) is one of the greatest French organists in the 20 century. Try on Wikipedia, but not only there.. Great success!

[yamagraphy]

Wonderful!

[opeendaginmaart57]

I just 'discovered' maitre Chapuis after buying volumes 8/9 of his integral recording of Bach's organ works second-hand for a pittance the other day. He plays with a mixture of transparency and liveliness that I find quite attractive.  The recordings are from the late 60s/early 70s, but his renditions still sound fresh and up-to-date to me. Also, I hadn't encountered the organ he uses for these two volumes on record before (von Beckerath organ in St. Paul's Church, Hamm, Westphalia).

[marsvltor2]

Abolutely magnificent. S Ouen 'away' from its own repertory (the Symphonists), and proving once again (see Marchand at S Sulpice) that C-Cs can handle the 17th-18th cent. repertory with ease. Lovely posting!

[obxemt]

Wonderful! But regarding the description, wouldn't this properly be an improvisation in the "French Classic" style, and not Romantic?

[JMSW1955]

Schitterend om deze man op bepaalde orgels te horen en vooral ook te zien spelen

[MrQuebec]

Un Maître.

[octavegeigen4]

@MrQuebec mais oui!!!

[EccentricRichard]

Are any masses or other services still held in the Abbey? If not, why should the secular French state not relieve itself of the burden of maintaining it and pass it back to the Church?

[ds1868]

@EccentricRichard I've already stated below that the church of St Ouen is now de-consecrated and is used for the performing arts and occasional organ recitals. Also, all churches and Cathedrals in France belong to the State. The church does not own, and is not responsible for, any church in France. Read your history Richard and stop cluttering youtube with your ridiculous ill-informed comments.

[2468HOTROD]

Beautiful! Didn't sound like a improvisational piece to me. This guy is good at improvising.

[poopingeneral]

dude this guy freak powns!

[FromHolbergsTime]

Splendid, breathtaking, of unforgettable power and eternal glory! This is an instrument of phenomenal grandeur played by a first rate organist in a very special cathedral. The audio quality is very fine, capturing an aliveness and fullness of the audio spectrum which sometimes is lacking in such recordings. The intimate portrait of the grand keyboard is most revealing, setting the stage for a memorable and close-up performance which remains vital in the listener's comprehensive perception.

[ds1868]

@FromHolbergsTime With respect, it's not a Cathedral, but an Abbey church, now de-consecrated and apart from very occasional recitals, completely redundant.

[latribe]

That's horribly alarming! What is the future of the building and the organ?

[lllmozartlll]

Both the Church and the Organ are classified as historical monuments (Monuments Historiques). Be assured that these irreplaceable treasures will be very well looked after, now and in the future. The Church is open to visitors during the whole year, concerts are held on a regular basis.

[543693The]

Merci pour ce grand moment...transcendance....

[atlantico36]

very very nice ok

[polsterj]

No, in Northern Germany maybe, but in France they were also used to reinforce the reeds in the discant!

[tjugofyra]

Interesting! From when did they do that?

[jmeister321684]

Dear tjugofyra, I believe they've been doing so in France since the early Baroque time, or almost all of the 17th century; although you may have a point saying that in North Germany or Scandinavia your land in the Baroque times they did not use Cornets because in fact of wind issues, but as well the fact that if in France the Cornets were (and still are) ''Fluted'' they are rather ''principalized'' in German Baroque dispositions, wich does not blend the same way with reed discants anyhow.

[tjugofyra]

I was just very confused! :P

[a55b47]

Nice touch in the view from above the console, with the portrait of C-C peeking out of the corner ;-)

[Elhombresombra]

@a55b47 That's a MUST! ;o)

[jmeister321684]

I would've liked him to resume by the first D of that most genial of 32' Contrebombardes, but that wouldn't of been good for purism... although I believe De Grigny had a 32' reed in Reims cathedral he used apparently .(from around 1600 I believe, the first 32 foot reed in history perhaps !) Overall hearing anything else French from before than only Symphonic repertory on this organ IS an absolute delight, as it is such a masterpiece as French art is perhaps the most continuous of them.

[jmeister321684]

Yes ! Trust me: the French ''Grand Jeu Classique'' INCLUDES les Cornets; you may hear them very clearly in all long of this impro !

[ds1868]

Yes indeed, in the classical tradition the Cornets were used not only as solo stops but also with the reeds to give clearer definition and most importantly to strengthen the treble (this was actually their greatest contribution in a Grand jeu). As you know reeds are not the best in the upper treble, here the Cornet is bolstering things nicely. I was also wondering if MC was using the 4' Chamade as well?, but on reflection perhaps not. Anyway, what a superb recording!

[jmeister321684]

A ''Grand Jeu Classique'', as we should say incorporates basically ''Anches 8' 4' et Cornets'' (so crowning reed harmonics in velvet yet more colour, plus the Prestants 4' for balance between the 2) in the manuals, and 8 and 4 (yet 16) foot reeds in the pedals, but NOT Mixtures, which in fact we use for a ''Plein Jeu'' (Organo Pleno, as compared to a ''Grand Jeu'' , or ''Organo Grando'' !) Plein Jeu (Plenum) =Mixtures and foundations, Grand Jeu=Reeds and Cornets without all the foundations.

[octavebasse8]

This building is larger than Notre-Dame in Paris, but the organ is probably half the size, with 64 ranks!

Incredible!

[ds1868]

Yes indeed, C-C was constrained by the organ case but he utilised both double rise bellows and his ultimate genius to produce a gem. Interestingly here the organ gallery is only barely half-way up the West end, so sound projection is pushed solidly down the nave without interference from the vaults. At NDdeP the organ gallery is too high, the balustrade also impedes sound, indeed everything conspires to ruin the sound at NDdeP, whereas everything here conspires to produce the best of results!

[VepresduCommun]

With 64 ranks the size is far more than half the size of Notre Dame, as originally build by Cavaillé-Coll (1868). At that moment it counted 86 stops, although it was later enlarged at several moments. The most important difference is that Notre Dame counted much more mutation stops. The Notre Dame organ had 12 mutation stops (4 in the Pedals), while Rouen has only one (Recit: Quinte 2 2/3).

[jmeister321684]

64 stops, giving it around 75-80 ranks in fact, but rather sounding like much over 100, compared to many organs ! ...

[octavebasse8]

Oh! Is it 64 stops???

I can never remember. haha

[BeFrSc]

I'm very interested to know what stops form a Grand Jeu. Is it foundations and reeds with no mutations or mixtures, or something along those lines?

[musichiere70]

Yes, I own this DVD, which is really interesting. Even if I do not particulary love Chapuis' improvisations, I have to say that this documentary is very beautifull as it shows the full characteristics of this magnificent Organ, which is, in my opinion, the MOST BEAUTIFULL instrument in the world...

[ds1868]

I think on your last statement I must agree with you completely. I fail to understand how Michel Chapuis may conjure an 18th Century Grand Jeu from this instrument. I am lost for words....

[chamade216]

Is this from a comercially available DVD? I like him pretty much. It really sounds like an organ form 300 years ago:-)

[chamade216]

Incredible !!!!

[ds1868]

So there you go, Michel Chapuis is able to be a magician and make even St Ouen sound like an 18th Century Grand Organ! Perhaps AC-C retained some of the pipework from the 18th Century instrument? Words fail me from the continuing suprises of this incredible organ of a mere 64 stops.

[Rankett16]

It should be no surprise that the Grand Jeux can be realized on a C-C organ. His trompettes are a continuation of the Cliquot examples from the late 18th C. Cornets were retained, too. It's a matter of eliminating the fonds and mixtures and voila! -- Grand Jeux or a good approximation thereof.

[ds1868]

Yes thank you Rankett16, I have delved into some background info on this organ and indeed C-C retained many of the Cliquot reeds. Of course as you say you avoid the fonds etc and indeed the Bassons that C-C added!

[SilverlakeDehners]

The tradition of the French Plein-jeu and the Grand-jeu is unbroken between the classical period and the romantic period. However the reeds are more refined and the mixtures a bit more tame in the late 19th century Cavaille-Coll at St. Ouen than one finds in 18th century Poitier in the Cliquot. That is not to deprecate either organ by such a comparison as they are each magnificent instruments each in their own style.