Cis a “little” Cavaillé-Coll, which we have not heard echoed for years in the Notre-Dame church in Bergerac (Dordogne). This choir organ, built by the famous organ maker, could once again distill its “transparent sound” in 2026. This is in any case the project of the association of Friends of the Saint-Jacques organ, supported by the City de Bergerac, which will launch, in the first quarter of 2025, a donation and sponsorship campaign.
The choir organ has not worked for more than twenty years.
Nancy Ladde
“The first festival that we organized in July raised awareness of this heritage for Bergerac residents. Because it’s everyone’s business,” remarks Uriel Valadeau, the local organist who works hard with Patricia Sabatier, the president of the Friends of Saint-Jacques, to draft sponsorship and patronage files.
From Bordeaux to Bergerac
History says that we owe this instrument to Father Hermann (1820-1871): he was a student of Liszt, before becoming a monk with the Carmelites. The man, who knows Cavaillé-Coll through his connections, is said to have intervened in the construction of the only Bordeaux organ of the illustrious maker.
In 1880, during the expulsion of the congregations, the Carmelites had to leave Bordeaux. Dismantled by the Wenner house, the organ with 600 pipes finally landed in Bergerac in 1882, installed by a foreman, Gaston Maille.
Restored 100 years later, in 1982, it quickly became unusable. Since July, the City has taken steps to have it classified as a Historic Monument and sign an agreement with the association so that it can “raise funds”.
In March, the consulting technician from the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Drac), responsible for the restoration of the organs, should be welcomed at a traveling conference which will officially launch the fundraising campaign. “He is the one who will carry out the preliminary study, it is real archeology work”, underlines Uriel Valadeau.
Then, the organ will be completely dismantled to be restored. “We are studying the possibility of organizing a youth camp. There is work on marquetry, metallurgy, but also on the skin or fluid mechanics,” adds the enthusiast.
“We already have around thirty sponsors who want to name a pipe”
The budget estimate is around 100,000 euros. As was the case for Notre-Dame de Bergerac, built thanks to popular subscription, it is the inhabitants of the area who could save this instrument. “We already have around thirty sponsors who wish to name a pipe [NDLR : 150 euros] », Appreciates Patricia Sabatier. And at each concert organized by the Friends of the organ, new volunteers raise their hands.
Musical magic
As originally, the volunteers wish to reinstall the instrument in the sanctuary, opposite the large organ. “We are going to rediscover the apse of Notre-Dame, the atmosphere of these colonnades where we see that Paul Abadie [NDLR : l’architecte de l’église] was a lover of Venice and Istanbul,” enthuses Uriel Valadeau.
The association hopes that the restoration will be completed by 2026. “What will interest us will be to create a magical sound between the two organs, a double architecture with, why not, trumpets or a choir in the center,” the organist is already dreaming.
