The Association François-Henri Clicquot
was officially established on 3 June 1949
Jean-Albert Villard
The card of the 50th anniversary
of the association
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Between 1900 and 1940, only 5 concerts have been given in Poitiers !
On the 21 April 1949, a meeting gathered together :
- Canon René Aigrain
organist of St Radegund and great musical scholar motivated by the desire of transforming the lofts which – in those times – were «hymn pumps».
- Robert Boisseau, organ maker
- Eugène Landais, organist of the Cathedral
- Charles Begnard, Directeur du Conservatoire (Academy of Music)
- Jean Michon, regional deputy of « Les Jeunesses Musicales de France »
- Canon Bodet
- Priest Bigosinski, choir-master of the Cathedral
et Joseph Coindre, chaplain of the Lycée de Garçons (High School for Boys) and musical critic
- Joseph-Maurice Bourot, researcher of ENSMA
- René Gros, town councillor
- George Cloarec, Philippe Grassin, André Thimonier et Jean-Albert Villard, organists
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At this meeting, they decided that an Association would be created, and at the same time the limits of its field were defines.
It was officially created on the 3 June 1949, with Canon Aigrain as Chairman.
Her are the first important fact in the life of this Association. They illustrated, for the young generation, what the deserving Founders started from.
| 1949 |
The fisrt concert of the association was held on in the St Radegund church the 5 July, by Jeanne Demessieux, for about one hundred persons. |
| 1951 |
The first concert in the Cathedra on the Clicquot organ was held on the 28 October, by J.J. Gruenenwald. In the program: Gilles Julien and Guillaume Gabriel Nivers, very rarely played at a concert in those days and even today. |
| 1952 |
The first guided visit of the Clicquot organ,
on Sunday 25 may, under the leadership of R. Boisseau and J.A. Villard who had been appointed as titular organist in 1950, gathered together visitors who were stupefied to discover the base and the inside of an organ, a noteworthy discovery for them ! |
Jean-Albert Villard
Next to a certain number of Chairmen, J.A. Villard was appointed Secretary General in 1950.
He has been an efficient member of the Association for the nest 50 years, until his death in 1950. He always remained active in the organisation and the planning of the activities: visits of the organ, five concerts every year, and a well-known Bulletin which mad the famous instrument and the precious analysis of its building known far beyond the boundaries of Poitou.u
The organists
If the organ world makes such an appeal on the people, it is thanks to the post-war organists who know how to make it loved and known.
Since then, some great and some more humble organists have followed one another.
The Association also opens its doors to young artists: each manner of playing is always appreciated.
It would be dangerous to try to name each one, for fear of forgetting some of them.u
| 1994 |
The bicentenary of the Clicquot organ was celebrated with a number of great concerts and with the “Concours International d’Interprétation de Musique Française” (International competition of French Music rendering.) |
| 2000 |
Since 20000, l’association pour la Renaissance de l’orgue de St Radegonde has committed us the Boisseau-Cattiaux, which allows to widen the repertory and concerts.
The fruit of their work is this instrument which was missed in Poitiers
Moreover, its proximity with the Clicquot organ makes it easy to organize concerts on both instruments in one musical evening. |
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