L'ancien orgue de chœur
L'orgue Boisseau-Cattiaux actuel
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Joseph Salvini - a local historian – quotes an organ at St Radegund in 1455. IT is probable that the church had an organ much before that date, but there
is no report about it.
| 1497 |
A small 12 stops organ already existed. |
| 1536 |
It was restored by Andre de la Couldre. |
| 26 mai 1561 |
In the middle of the Religious Wars, the “Gascone” pillaged and plundered the church. The remains of the saint were burnt down. The choir organ and the great organ were destroyed and their pipes taken away. |
| 1565 |
Baptiste Tiercelin, Bishop of Luçon and Abbot of St Radegund, gave the church a choir organ as a present. A few months later, a great organ was for
sale, in Nantes. The Chapter paid half the sum and he paid the other half. |
| 1597 |
The latter instrument was sold to the St Maixent Abbey to finance the building of a new one. |
| 1598 |
The organ was ready, but a violent storm occurred on 9th July: The storm blow up the roof of the church. The organ had to be rebuilt – which was done
in 1626. |
| 1661 |
A new alteration was made by Le Vasseur. In 1768, the instrument had been played for a century when it needed some repairs, due to its bad state. |
During the Revolution, the organ where destroyed. The only instruments available for the sacred music were a harmonium, an
ophicleide and a serpent, until the end of the 19th century.
Then it was decides to transfer the choir organ of St Hilaire church, which had just been restored. Completed, it was installed between the choir columns,
after the stalls, on the left side.
| 1895 |
For the sum of 30.000 f., a great organ which had been ordered to the Belgian Firm Anneessens, was installed on a new organ-loft.
The choir organ, which had a different tone, was sold to the “Grand Seminaries” in 1919.
But, very soon, important difficulties came to view about the new instrument. |
| 1902 |
He needed a release. But the Belgian Firm filed their petition in 1903. Important repairs were undertaken in 1922, then in 1926, financed by the
selling the 32 feet Tuba Major to Narbonne Cathedral.
This instrument – which was of no interest and of poor quality –never worked properly, in spite of frequent and expensive maintenance. |
| 1929 |
In 1929, the organ builder, Robert Boisseau, made important changes, but the repairing of the windows let the instrument under wind and bad weather
during the 1940-1941 winter. And the bombing in August 1941 did the rest ! |
| 1948 |
Robert Boisseau was asked to remake it :
An electric console was set and the new romantic appearance of the instrument was modified for the organists to be able to use a wider repertory. But
by lack of money, they had to keep the old wind chest.
The embitterment did not last, and the last concert was given in 1965.
The deterioration continued but the organ was still used for religious purposes.
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| 1990 |
It was definitely dumb. |
The revival of the organ
In 1987, the organ Committee for the revival of the organ had been founded. In 1997, they saw their efforts come up to live when the new Boisseau-Cattiaux
organ was inaugurated.
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