Les orgues de province
La Madeleine organ















History :


The great-organ in the church of Sainte Marie-Madeleine in the city of La Madeleine (Northern France) was built by Merklin (Merklin company, Paris and Brussels) at the end of the 19th century.

This very strong and very well built instrument is a model of the symphonic organs built around that same time.

Since it was built a major renovation has been done by Sequies, an organ builder from Lille. This very meticulous organ builder has done high quality work in the Northern region of France during the early 20th century.

This instrument is the porperty of the town. A maintenance contract existed between the town and present organ builder Bernard Cogez since 1985 the date of the latest major restoration which especially included a total restitution of the Récit division (wind-chest and pipework). Prior to 1985 and during 25 consecutive years the organ was maintained through a contract with organ builder Jean Pascal from Lille.

Today this organ is one of the rare Merklin organs to be kept almost intact in the region and it represents a foremost musical heritage for the town of La Madeleine.





Description:


The organ case

Built in oak wood.
One center tower (with tail-piece) including seven pipes.
Two flat-faces with 11 pipes each.
Two rather flat exterior towers of seven pipes each.
The wind-chests are made out of oak. They are of a rather traditional style with registers and channels. The rather traditional mechanism with trackers is of an excellent make. The rollerboards made out of oak and pine woods are fitted with metallic rollers.
The front-case pipes are made out of high quality tin..

The console

Placed on the gallery facing the altar
2 manuals of 56 notes (C-G). Sharps are made of ebony, others are natural ivory plated keys.
30 notes oak pedalboard (C-F).
The round stop knobs are made of oak wood with turned wood knobs placed on each side of the manuals.





Composition :


To your left:
Pédalier:

Octave basse 8'
Soubasse 16'




Récit:

Flûte octaviante 4'
Voix céleste 8'
Gambe 8'
Bourdon 8'
Flûte traversière 8'

Grand-orgue:

Bourdon 8'
Bourdon 16'
Flûte harmonique 8'
Montre 8'
Prestant 4'







To your right:
Pédalier:

Bourdon 8'
Violoncelle 8'




Récit:

Octavin 2'
Trompette 8'
Basson-Hautbois 8'
Voix humaine 8'
Sonnette (Not working)

Grand-orgue:

Cornet 4 rgs
Fourniture 16'
Basson 16'
Trompette 8'
Clairon 4'



Great to pedal, récit couplers, Machine GO, Acc.R/GO, Acc.R/GO 16.
Reed fixed combination pedal. G.O., RE., Combination pedal, pedal Bassoon 16’.