Francis Chapelet

Francis Chapelet is a French organist, born in 1934 in Paris. He studied at Higher National Academy of Music and Dance of Paris with Maurice Duruflé as his professor in organ and improvisation.

Francis is known to be one of the foremost authorities on the Iberian organ and directed the Internation Academy of the Iberian Organ of Castille. Also, he is an international concert performer, and his talents of improvisation are recognized throughout the world.

His discography is extensive, and includes many recordings of Iberian and French organs.

Francis Links:

The Unofficial Francis Chapelet Fan Club. - Many nice pictures.

Frédéric Deschamps has taken many videos of Francis. Watch with Gnash.

Francis visits a Dom Bedos organ.

About the organ in Francis Chapelet's house.

About the Iberian Organ:

A micro-essay by Luke P. Patmore

The Spanish organ is perhaps the school of organbuilding that is the most forgotten and the least appreciated (sometimes rightly so). The image above is of the Santanyi organ in Mallorca (1762). One may note its monumental and splendidly decorated facade (by Fra Albert Borguny). This facade reflects the imperial pomposity of the time, which adds so much to the brilliance and brightness of this organs registers.

This organ is an archetype of the Spanish school of organbuilding. Note the nine ranks of horizontal reed pipes, which compose the trompeteria. Fanned, they spread sound to every corner of the church.

The Santanyi organ is the instrument with the largest mixture stop in the world, having twenty-five rank and 1,104 pipes!

The Iberian organ has many characteristic stops:

Flautat 8'

The basic unstopped flue tone; corresponds to the "principal" in the rest of Europe (or the French "montre"), not to the "flutes."

Octava 4'

4' version of the Flautat; cf. the French Prestant.

Bordó

Stopped Flautat, but only partially stopped, like a German Rohrgedeckt.

Tapadet 4'

4' version of the Bordó.

Flautat major 16'

Sources recommend using this by itself or in any combination with the 8' flautat and/or either of the 4' flues, but not the 8' bordó.

Flautes dobles 8'

A gentle beating stop. Used for slow moving pieces such as Tientos de Falsas. In the Mass, may be used for the Elevation. (Perhaps it can be combined with the Temblor to produce sea-sickness.)

Nasards

A compound stop consisting of a nasard (flute 2 2/3') plus other stops that would otherwise have to be drawn individually with it. (Sources usually use the singular "nasard" for the single stop, and the plural for a compound stop.) Can be used for a left hand solo, against a flue registraton (probably 8' only) in the right hand. It can also be used as bass against the treble cornet for pieces that have four moving parts. Optionally can be drawn with Flautat Major 16', or either 8' (but not both), or 16' + Flautat 8'. The registrations with 16' are presumably not good for solo use.

Corneta Magna

Used either as a right hand solo stop against an 8' bass registration (either flue, or the Trompa Batalla 8' with optional Clarins in 15ª), or with the Nasards in four-part music with moving parts. Can be drawn with the following stops: Flautat 8', Tapadet 4', or either 8' plus either 4' (only one of each).

And the characteristic reed stops:

Trompa Batalla 8'

Can be used by itself in both hands or with Bordó 8'. Like all reeds, this gets noticeably weaker in the treble, which may have to be reinforced with another reed, probably the Trompa Magna 16', the Clarins 8', the Xirimia Alta 4', or any combination of these. The Trompa Batalla 8' also be used as a solo, especially in the right hand, against a flue or Ple registration (but probably should be reinforced against the Ple.

Trompa reial 8'

An interior reed, and more evenly voiced than the exterior reeds. Can be used as a solo in either hand against a flue registration. Can be combined with 8' and/or 4' flues (some sources say only the stopped flues, not the open ones). Historically, it is unclear whether this was part of a reed chorus; my own preference is not to combine it with other reeds (although it could certainly dialog against them).

Baixons 4'

As a solo, against an 8' (flue or reed) registration in the right hand Also reinforces the Trompa Batalla 8' in a reed chorus.

Trompa Magna 16'

As a solo, against an 8' (flue or reed) registration in the left hand Also reinforces the Trompa Batalla 8' and/or Clarins 8' in a reed chorus

Clarins en 15ª 2'

As a solo, against an 8' (flue or reed) or 4' (reed) registration in the right hand Also reinforces the Trompa Batalla 8' in a reed chorus.

Clarins 8'

Exactly the same uses as the Trompa Batalla 8'.

Historical registration on this organ is a long forgotten art remembered by few scholars. Common sense says that the Ple on the Santanyi organ was not something to be over-used. For the Ple, certain historical documentation about the Santanyi organ state that it should not be drawn with too many other stops to avoid taxing the wind supply (more so when it was hand-blown). Under no circumstances should the Ple be combined with reeds, only used against them. Should the Ple ever be combined with reeds, the church would have been shook to the ground quite violently, crushing the organist, clergy, and congregation. Furthermore, using the Ple with the Nasards, Corneta, or any reeds results in automatic excommunication of the organist.

It is advisable to keep registration conservative but not static.

To conclude, it is best to mention that author G.A. Audsley regardeded Iberian reeds “big and noisy” but not musical. Use them sparingly and the congregation will appreciate it more when you do.

Remember: be safe, don't drink and register Iberian organs.

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