A Major Restoration
Amid the cathedral’s restoration efforts, architectural expenses consumed most of the budget. However, architect Viollet-Le-Duc requested a proposal from Aristide Cavaillé-Coll for “an instrument worthy of a cathedral.” The 1860 project, estimated at 115,000 francs, sparked controversy and intrigue. A competing proposal from the German-Flemish firm Merklin-Schutze in 1862 further fueled tensions and political maneuvers. To see the project through, a petition supporting Cavaillé-Coll was sent to the Minister, signed by Berlioz, Rossini, and other illustrious musicians. Ultimately, Cavaillé-Coll received the commission in 1863.
The initial plan involved retaining the two existing cases. The four-manual and pedal project was structured as follows:
- Positif (56 notes with 15 stops)
- Grand Orgue (56 notes with 15 stops)
- Bombarde (12 stops)
- Récit expressif (56 notes with 10 stops)
- Pedal (30 notes with 12 stops)
To operate this vast ensemble, Cavaillé-Coll proposed new windchests, bellows, and mechanics, featuring a pneumatic motor system of his invention. A large workshop was set up in the south tower and side galleries. A few months later, Viollet-Le-Duc decided to remove the Positif, considering its Louis XVI-style case incongruous in a Gothic cathedral he was striving to unify stylistically. Consequently, Cavaillé-Coll had to revise his plans. Freed from the original estimate, he unleashed his genius and designed a revolutionary organ in terms of concept, sound design, and new stops.
The Genius of Cavaillé-Coll
Cavaillé-Coll considered relocating the organ lower, but Viollet-Le-Duc rejected any changes, especially as he constructed a large gallery above the nave’s first bay. Cavaillé-Coll then completely rethought the instrument’s internal layout:
- The ample space and height between the instrument’s rear and the façade wall allowed him to house the Pedal stops and the Récit’s expressive box.
- The Positif and Solo were arranged on two levels, with the Récit behind the Grand Orgue.
- A Grand-Chœur manual was positioned like an Oberwerk at the top of the instrument, under the vault, which naturally enhanced sound propagation. He placed the high harmonics and a powerful reed battery there. All progressions and trebles were centered, with solo stops at the Récit.
His acoustic research led him to establish several complete series of harmonics to enrich the fundamental tones. The plan was extraordinary, with resulting tones of 32 feet on the pedalboard, 16 feet on the Bombarde manual, and 8 feet on the Grand-Chœur manual.
The instrument, completed in December 1867, was played at Christmas during the Universal Exhibition. Praises honored the skillful builder’s science, as well as the beautiful arrangement and flawless execution of the work. The inauguration in March 1868 featured renowned organists such as Alexis Chauvet, Auguste Durand, César Franck, Alexandre Guilmant, Clément Loret, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Charles-Marie Widor.
The grand organ of Notre-Dame then comprised 86 stops distributed across five 56-note manuals and a 30-note pedalboard. Twenty pedals controlled couplers, super-octave couplers, reed stops, tremolo, and a storm pedal. Finally, the organ was equipped with a dual pneumatic registration system operated by two sets of six buttons.
