Cavaillé-Coll Organ Festival

There are around forty organs in Rouen , making the city one of the richest in France in this respect. Fifteen of them are listed as historic monuments, as Rouen was a major centre for organ-building from the Renaissance through to the 19th century.

Visitors can admire organ cases featuring exceptional sculpted decoration. The oldest can be admired at Saint-Vivien (1515) and Saint-Maclou (1541), whilst the 17th century is brilliantly represented at Saint-Ouen (1630), at Saint-Patrice (1662), at the Cathedral (1689) and at Saint-Romain. In the 18th century, one of Europe’s most famous families of organ builders was based in Rouen: the Lefebvres built, notably, the magnificent organ in the chapel of the Charles Nicolle Hospital (1731) and the main organ at the Temple Saint-Eloi (1735) with its fantastically slender case. The Church of La Madeleine (1781) is also well worth a visit, with its venerable organ case in the gallery, which echoes the classical colonnade of the building’s façade.

Several 19th-century organ builders from Rouen have left us masterpieces, such as those at Saint-Sever and Saint-Vivien. And the brilliant Parisian organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll built the two organs at Saint-Godard (1884) and, above all , the one at Saint-Ouen (1890), which is known throughout the world.“He invested his entire personal fortune in it, such was his determination to create an exceptional instrument,” explains Jean-Baptiste Monnot, co-titular organist. It was a successful project, as its 64 stops achieve a unique tonal balance and the organ is now the most recorded in the world.

Most of these organs can be heard in concert throughout the year. A conservation programme is currently being implemented by the city of Rouen. Following the restoration of the organs at Saint-Godard, Saint-Sever and Saint-Hilaire, it is now the turn of Saint-Romain, whilst organist François Ménissier is training brilliant, passionate young musicians at the Conservatoire.“Walking into a church can be quite overwhelming, which is why we’re trying to make the instrument more accessible,” says Jean-Baptiste Monnot enthusiastically, who has developed a small pipe organ that he plays outdoors to engage with the general public. A project in partnership with schools in Paris, Berlin, New York and Boston will soon make Rouen a hub for organ-related events.