Saint-Antoine-

des-Quinze-Vingts

66, avenue Ledru Rollin, 75012 Paris

Gallery organ Choir organ >

C1 Originally, the great organ of the Saint-Antoine des Quinze- Vingts was built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1894 for the private house of the Baron de l’Espée in Paris. This organ was transferred to the new Church of Saint- Antoine by Gutschenritter in 1909. He added a 16’ Bombarde and a Nasard to the GO, a Fourniture and a 16’ Basson to the Swell and a 32’ Bourdon to the Pedal. The 16’ and 8’ Bassons of the pedal were replaced by a 16’ Bombarde and an 8’ Trompette. The pressures were probably increased. Later, he may have increased the range of the Pedal to 32 notes, replaced the Nasard of the GO by a Doublette and separeted the ranks of the Carillon of the Positif. In 1956, Pierre Chéron and Philippe Hartmann worked on the organ and added a 4' Clarion to pedal. In 1982, Jacques Barbéris, assisted by Marc Hédelin and Philippe Mattéi, accomplished a comprehensive restoration, restoring the Barker-lever machine and the conveyancing of the basses. 1992–2004: Progressive overhaul of the instrument by Yves Fossaert. • general cleaning • restoration of the GO and Récit soundboards • restoration of one reservoir • restoration of the pipework, regulation of the reeds, and general tuning • the pedal Clairon 4′ stop was replaced with a new one, built in Cavaillé‑Coll style. This organ was maintained for several years by Maison Gutschenritter. Could they be the ones who extended the pedalboard to 32 notes, replaced the Grand Orgue Nasard with a 2′ Doublette, and split the Positif carillon? It’s possible. What we do know is that the Pédale Clairon 4′ was added by Pierre Chéron in 1956. It was of mediocre quality and was replaced during Yves Fossaert’s work. More info (in French)…

Before the French Revolution, the area that now makes up the 12th arrondissement belonged to the parish of Saint‑Paul and then to the Saint‑Marguerite estate. However, two institutions had the right to exercise the “care of souls”: the Cistercian nuns’ abbey of Saint‑Antoine des Champs and the Quinze‑Vingts hospice, founded by Saint Louis. The abbey was suppressed in 1790, and the monastery was given to Saint‑Anthony’s Hospital in 1795. The new parish of Saint‑Antoine des Quinze‑Vingts was created on 4 February 1791 and received the abbey church as its place of worship. That building was sold as national property in 1798 and later demolished. In the meantime, the chapel of the Quinze‑Vingts hospice served as the parish church for about a century, until the present church was built and completed in 1903. It was dedicated to Saint Anthony the Great on 11 November 1909.