Cathédrale Américaine

23, avenue Georges V, 75008 Paris

The American Cathedral of Paris is a church dedicated to Anglican worship and serving as a cathedral for the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe of the Episcopal Church U.S. Opened in 1886, it was designed by the English architect George Edmund Street, who gave it a neo- Gothic style. It was the latter's son who added an arrow between 1904-1906 in order to complete the building. The church has numerous stained glass windows (42 in total) created by master glassmaker James Bell on the theme of the Te Deum, offering under its vaults a magnificent atmosphere of multicolored darkness. (Translation of a French text by Thierry Correard)

Photos beneath: Victor Weller

1887 - Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1) 1922 - Cavaillé-Coll-Pleyel (3A) 1930 - Convers (7) 1970 - Beuchet-Debierre (3a) 1993 - Dargassies (3a)

IV/72 - Transmissions électriques

composition

E5 The great organ of the American Cathedral was built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1887 and inaugurated on October 5 of the same year by Alexandre Guilmant. It had 45 stops spread over 3 keyboards (GO, Positive and Swell) and a Pedal. The instrument is placed on a platform at the crossroads of the nave and the transept. On the advice of Marcel Dupré, the instrument was extended (7 new stops) and electrified by Mutin in 1922. Later, interventions by Convers in 1930, then by Beuchet-Debierre in 1970, took the instrument to 62 stops. That same year, Erwin Muller built a small organ of neo-classical aesthetics that was installed on a tribune located at the bottom of the nave and in the axis of it, near the entrance to the cathedral. Between 1992 and 1993, Bernard Dargassies restored and expanded the organ to 72 stops by building a new buffet which replaced the organ of Muller. This new buffet constituted a 4th keyboard called "Antiphonal" of 10 stops, which can be played from the main console of the great organ. The term Antiphonal refers to a choir organ in the USA. Here, the Antiphonal was not placed in the choir but on a tribune. In addition, it has an 8' chamade rank. This small buffet of 10 stops constitutes also an independent organ thanks to a specific console of one keyboard located under this tribune and allowing to play it separately. It is therefore possible, at the console of the large organ of 4 keyboards (main console), to play the 3 keyboards and pedals corresponding to the main buffet as well as the Antiphonal keyboard placed in the secondary buffet. A new restoration is upcoming. (Translation of a French text by Thierry Correard) Site of the organ

Photos beneath: Victor Weller

Organiste titulaire Andrew Dewar Concerts Regularly Services with organ Sunday 9, 11 a.m., 6 p.m. Video Michał Szostak Andrew Dewar