A unique organ in the world

A concert given on a unique instrument in the world in the most important Gothic building in Switzerland.

The new Fisk organs at Lausanne Cathedral, inaugurated in December 2003, constitute a musical and technological feat.

Ten years of study and production, two international competitions,
7,396 pipes, 6 keyboards and pedals, two consoles.
The first organ in the world to have been designed by a designer (Giugiaro).
The first organ to contain the 4 main styles of organ building (French classical and symphonic, German baroque and romantic).
An international achievement, since companies from Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Italy, England and Germany participated in its construction.
A total cost of more than six million francs 150,000 hours of work.
The first instrument built by an American manufacturer (Fisk) in a cathedral in Europe.

Composition of the Great Organs of Lausanne Cathedral
C. B. Fisk, Gloucester (Massachusetts/USA) Opus 120, 2003
GRAND-ORGUE Clavier II – C-c4			(37 rangs, 2088 tuyaux)
Pressions : C-g1 89mm / dès gis1 108mm
1.	Principal	32’	B-H façade (zinc) ; dès c commun avec Montre 16’
2.	Montre	16’	C-g1 façade (zinc)
3.	Bourdon	16’
4.	Montre	8’
5.	Gambe	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
6.	Flûte harmonique	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
7.	Bourdon	8’
8.	Prestant	4’
9.	Octave	4’
10.	Quinte	2 2/3’
11.	Doublette	2’
12.	Terz	1 3/5’	principalisante
13.	Fourniture VII	2 2/3’	résultante 32’ (10 2/3’ dès gis1)
14.	Cymbale V	2/3’
15.	Mixtur VI-IX	2’
16.	Bombarde	16’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
17.	Trompette	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
18.	Clairon	4’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll, ab. fis2 8’
19.	Trommet	16’	Allemagne du nord
20.	Trommet	8’	Allemagne du nord
POSITIF DE DOS Clavier I – C-c4			(23 rangs, 1327 tuyaux)
Pression : 89mm
21.	Quintadehn	16’	C-H bois
22.	Prinzipal	8’	d’après Schnitger (Cappel) C-d façade
23.	Gedackt	8’
24.	Oktave	4’	d’après Schnitger (Cappel)
25.	Rohrflöte	4’
26.	Grosse Tierce	3 1/5’
27.	Nasard	2 2/3’
28.	Doublette	2’
29.	Quarte de Nasard	2’
30.	Tierce	1 3/5’
31.	Larigot	1 1/3’
32.	Piccolo	1’
33.	Plein-jeu V	2/3’	d’après Dom Bedos
34.	Scharff IV	1’	d’après Schnitger
35.	Dulcian	16’	d’après Schnitger (Stade)
36.	Cromorne	8’	d’après Clicquot
	Tremblant doux
POSITIF EXPRESSIF Clavier III – C-c4			(18 rangs, 1029 tuyaux)
Pression : 89mm
37.	Salicional	8’	d’après Ladegast
38.	Unda maris	8’
39.	Flûte harmonique	8’
40.	Bourdon	8’	d’après Schulze
41.	Voix éolienne	8’
42.	Fugara	4’	d’après Ladegast
43.	Zartflöte	4’	d’après Ladegast
44.	Violine	2’	d’après Ladegast
45.	Sesquialtera II	2 2/3’
46.	Harmonia aetheria V	2’
47.	Cor anglais	16’	style français
48.	Basson	8’	style français
49.	Clairon	4’	style français
	Tremblant
RECIT EXPRESSIF Clavier IV – C-c4			(21 rangs, 1250 tuyaux)
Pression : 89mm
50.	Bourdon	16’
51.	Diapason	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
52.	Viole de Gambe	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
53.	Voix Céleste	8’
54.	Flûte traversière	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
55.	Bourdon	8’
56.	Prestant	4’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
57.	Flûte octaviante	4’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
58.	Quinte	2 2/3’
59.	Octavin	2’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
60.	Tierce	1 3/5’
61.	Plein-jeu IV	2’
62.	Bombarde	16’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
63.	Trompette harmonique	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
64.	Clairon harmonique	4’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
65.	Basson-Hautbois	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
66.	Clarinette	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
67.	Voix humaine	8’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll
	Tremblant rapide / Tremblant
BOMBARDES Clavier V – C-c4			(12 rangs, 565 tuyaux)
Pression : 127mm
68.	Montre	8’
69.	Flûte creuse	8’	Kuhn
70.	Flûte ouverte	4’
71.	Grand Cornet V	8’
72.	Trompette	8’	d’après Clicquot
73.	Clairon	4’	d’après Clicquot
74.	Trompette en chamade	4’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll (double longueur dès c2)
75.	Clairon en chamade	4’	d’après Cavaillé-Coll (double longueur dès c1 ; dès fis2 8’)
PEDALE- C-g1			(13 rangs, 476 tuyaux)
Pressions : galerie sup. 152mm / autres : 108mm
76.	Principal	32’	transmission au Grand-Orgue
77.	Bourdon	32’	Kuhn
78.	Grosse Quinte	21 1/3’	transmission au Principal 32’
79.	Contrebasse	16’
80.	Montre	16’	transmission au Grand-Orgue
81.	Principal	16’	Kuhn
82.	Violonbasse	16’
83.	Bourdon	16’	Kuhn
84.	Basse Quinte	10 2/3’
85.	Octave	8’
86.	Violoncelle	8’	transmission au Grand-Orgue (Gambe)
87.	Flûte	8’
88.	Bourdon	8’
89.	Quinte	5 1/3’
90.	Octave	4’
91.	Flûte	4’	C-f commun avec Flûte 8’
92.	Mixture IV	2 2/3’
93.	Contre-Bombarde	32’	dès c commun avec Bombarde 16’ (Grand-Orgue)
94.	Bombarde classique	16’	d’après Clicquot (Poitiers)
95.	Bombarde	16’	transmission au Grand-Orgue
96.	Trompette	8’	transmission au Grand-Orgue
97.	Clairon	4’	transmission au Grand-Orgue
98.	Posaune	16’
99.	Trommet	16’	emprunt Grand-Orgue
100.	Trommet	8’	emprunt Grand-Orgue
FERNWERK (clavier flottant)			(11 rangs, 582 tuyaux)

101.	Bourdon	16’
102.	Principal	8’
103.	Bourdon	8’
104.	Flûte	8’
105.	Flûte d’amour	8’
106.	Salicional	8’
107.	Voix céleste	8’
108.	Prestant	4’
109.	Flûte traversière	4’
110.	Trompette harmonique	8’
111.	Voix humaine	8’
	Tremblant
Accouplements et tirasses:
Positif de dos à Grand-Orgue		Grand-Orgue à Pédale
Positif expressif à Grand-Orgue		Positif de dos à Pédale
Récit expressif à Grand-Orgue		Positif expressif à Pédale
Bombardes à Grand-Orgue		Récit expressif à Pédale
Pédale à Grand-Orgue		Bombardes à Pédale
		Fernwerk à Pédale
Positif de dos à Positif expressif		Octave grave Grand-Orgue
Récit expressif à Positif expressif		Octave grave Positif expressif
Bombardes à Positif expressif		Octave grave Fernwerk
		Octave aiguë Fernwerk
Accessoires :
Positif expressif : Tremblant
Positif de dos : Tremblant doux
Récit expressif : Tremblant rapide
Récit expressif : Tremblant
Fernwerk : Tremblant
Rossignol (2 tuyaux)
Vent flexible

Boîtes expressives pour le Récit expressif, le Positif expressif et le Fernwerk
Sostenutos pour les claviers (sauf Positif de dos) et le pédalier
Crescendos programmables

Mécanique directe		Tirage électrique des jeux
Transmission électrique pour la console mobile
Mémorisation des registrations sur disquette (Solid State Logic)
98 jeux / 111 registres (124 rangs) 7396 tuyaux sans le Fernwerk

The new organ of Lausanne’s cathedral

Jean-Christophe Geiser
Senior Organist of Lausanne’s Cathedral
Professor at the Lausanne’s Conservatory & University of Music of Lausanne (HEM)

An american organ at the Lausanne’s Cathedral! An organ case designed by an Italian designer, renowned for its Maserati, Bugatti & Alfa Romeo bodies …! Thereby causing a tremendous amount of rumors and comments amongst the European Organophiles. Thus presented in such a provocative way, these news could surprise, even worry some….

However, the result is there. Inaugurated and discovered by over 12 000 auditors within one month during the December 2003 concerts, the new organ of Lausanne’s cathedral, over 7 years after their inauguration, keeps on generating interest and admiration far beyond the societies of aficionados. The New York Times consecrates it a full page. “Le Temps” (main daily newspaper of Switzerland) does not hesitate to title “The 21st century organs is born in Lausanne”. The main German organologic review, “Organ”, puts it on the front cover page, which had not yet been done for a brand new instrument.

The new organ of Lausanne’s cathedral displays some characteristics found on no other instrument:

For the first time, an instrument with a hundred pipes displays a well accomplished juxtaposition of the 4 main organ facture styles (French classical & symphonic, German baroque & romantic).
For the first time, two consecutive international contests were organized, one for the choice of the organ factor (C.B. Fisk), the other for the choice of the case (Giugiardo Design).
For the first time, a worldwide renowned designer signs an organ case.
For the first time, an American organ manufactory builds an instrument in a European cathedral.

How this accomplishment was made possible?

The first steps

The previous organ state of wear was requiring either important refurbishment work, or the replacement of the instrument. Starting 1993, an inter-county workgroup was formed in order to provide a thorough pondering on the matter. Given the cost of refurbishment, and mostly the conception defects (location set too far back, electro-pneumatic transmission, absence of case) of the instrument which could hardly or not at all be corrected, the replacement of the organ was the best possible solution. Bought back by the organ factor, Andreas Ladach de Wuppertal (Germany), the instrument was reinstalled, after a complete restoration, in the new Philharmonic of Gdansk, Poland, and inaugurated in 2004. He is happy that the sound part of the instrument could be saved; thus testifying of the Neo-Classical factory, this instrument already deserves the “historical” label.

In 1995, the Vaud Government gave its approval for the replacement of the organ, accepted the principle of a public subscription organization to partake in the financing of the project, and charged a commission of the organ to further pursue the studies, put out an invitation to bid and evaluate the received offers.

Location of the new organ

The former instruments suffered from their position because they were too far back on the higher organ loft. The Lausanne’s cathedral offers indeed a very special architectural setting: a 15 meters long Narthex on which two big vaulted hallways can be found, each being at different levels. It’s in those areas that the former instruments were located. It was all about avoiding the past mistakes and solving, in the first place, the location problem. After considering all possible solutions, (organ loft, northern transept, triforium), decision was made, for musical as well as architectural reasons, to leave the organ above the Narthex, while allowing the future instrument to lower itself and to come forward in the Nave. Defined that way, this volume, when put at the disposal of the organ factors, would allow the building of an instrument similar in size to the former, if used wisely. If the new organ, as done in the past, was to be confined in the organ loft’ space, it would have been impossible to re-create an organ of such importance; only around forty pipes would have been satisfactorily set.
The coming forward of the instrument enables the freeing and give access to the organ loft formerly cumbered by the pipes. It reveals a 13th century guard rail totally drawn in the organ until then. It will then offer the public the opportunity to visit the north tower by walking behind the instrument. All the west part of the cathedral is now put at its best; we can almost say that “the squaring of the circle” has been found, as it is very rare that the emplacement of an organ satisfies architects, archeologists as well as musicians.

Dimensions of the new organ

In order to put an invitation to bid out, the Organ Commission established a chart of technical requirements, which amongst several conditions:

Defined the established process (offers for an invitation to bid, obligation to collaborate with an architect-designer chosen later on by the Commission);
Included the standard composition (pipe groups & registration aid), leaving it open for the organ factors to enhance it, the number of pipe groups being similar to the ones of the former organ (without the Fernwerk);
Determined the available volumes for the new organ;
Planned for, on the top of the mechanical transmission pew console, a second mobile console;
Projected a Ferwerk.

The fundamental option that was kept was to build an instrument disposing of three symphonic keyboards and of two Baroque keyboards: a French symphonic base (Cavaillé-Coll) completed by the group of pipes representative of the classical French style (Cliquot) and German baroque (Schnitger), with furthermore, included in the Fisk project, German romantic style pipe groups (Ladegast).

This makes possible for a large range of styles to be played in the cathedral, all the while respecting stylistic specificities; but with wider possibilities than those offered by instrument really specific in style and much smaller in size in the region (except for the Saint-François church in Lausanne). It is also possible to listen to and compare pipe groups of four different stylistic references; this pedagogical aspect needs to be highlighted.

The two consoles

The presence of a second console is justified for several reasons. The cathedral must play the role of a “concert hall with organ” since Lausanne does not have a concert hall allowing for an organ & orchestra repertory to be approached, unlike the other big Swiss cities (i.e. The Victoria Hall in Geneva, the Tonhalle in Zurich, Bern’s Casino). The distance between the pew console and the orchestra makes it difficult to have a good synchronization between the organ and the orchestra: one has to play with a video, without having a direct eye contact with the conductor.
Most of all, the mobile console allows the public to see the organist. It has to be said, the public wants to see the music being created as much as he wants to hear it…
The mobile console grants the possibility to introduce the organ’s functioning to groups; therefore, it is a “pedagogical” awareness for the large public. Finally, it allows the organist to perfectly appreciate the registration aids and their balance in the nave, which is not possible from the pew console.

The electronic add-ins

On an instrument with such dimensions, the memorizing of the registration sequences (combinatory) is a must. It pertains to a common system. Those registrations will be able to be recorded on standard disks.
Moreover, the instrument also has an MDI interface, which makes it possible to record the organist’s play, to remotely play (i.e. from another organ also equipped with this technology), and even to jot down improvisations. It is the first time in Switzerland that a cathedral organ is equipped with this system. The putting in practice of those possibilities is offering an innovating field for the contemporary musical creation.

Each keyboard and pedal board have a “sostenuto” system as well: when activated, this system holds the last played note or chord on the keyboard until the following note or chord is played. Is it necessary to remind you? Those are only add-ins. The organ remains usable in a traditional way. One will then be able to play this instrument with its mechanical transmission, without using any electronic accessories.

The invitation to bid and choice of the organ factor

As expressed by the Organ Commission, two successive contests were organized: the former focused on the choice of the organ factor, the latter on the architect-designer to whom the final case design would be entrusted to.
The quantity of potential organ factors able to build such an instrument and having the characteristics defined in the specification charts is very small. The Organ Commission, with the participation of two experts, Heinz Balli and Olivier Latry, chose in a first step six world renowned manufactures which could boast of a sufficient experience and scale. After presentation of the projects, unanimously, the Fisk manufacture from Gloucester (near Boston, U.S.A.), was chosen.
The Organ Commission was conscious that the choice of an American organ factor, could be misunderstood, and even generate quite an opposition. It is therefore important to remind that the new organ is European in its musical references, that Fisk, is a company of some thirty passionate employees and not a multinational company; furthermore, it would have been sad to be deprived of the best project on the basis of political and ideological reasons. The Commission’s choice has then been courageous. Let us also underline that Fisk has a deep knowledge of all the different styles of European organ; and is clearly distinguished from the traditional American organ facture. It is then inaccurate to speak of “American” organ in Lausanne. All the references are European, which does not take away from the qualities of the organ factor.

The choice of the Architect-Designer

The visual integration of the organ in the building has been a constant care. Concerning the organ case, nowadays it often happens that one chooses a “copy”, reflecting the main musical style of the instrument. Even if this approach had been kept at the cathedral –it was however never seriously thought upon-, we have a hard time to see which style would have been the style of reference since the instrument holds four different ones. In a 12th century cathedral, a case “in the building’s style” would also have been impossible.

The organizing of an architect-designer contest for the designing of an organ case constitutes a première. If it can happen that an architect collaborates on a given project’s design, it was much different here: it is actually a second contest that has been set up to give the instrument its final appearance on the basis of the organ factor’s plans. It was indeed a “dress up” job, the constraints set up by Fisk and the Organ Commission being quite heavy: composition, predefined volumes, undercrossing of the mechanics, access to the different parts of the instrument.
It is therefore not surprising that a designer –perhaps more opened to the respecting of the rigorous technical constraints- has won over an architect. The designer Giugiaro Design was unanimously chosen by the jury.

He gave the instrument the appearance of a stylized angel, resting on a light halo. The specificity of the case is mostly manifested through various elements:

A tri-body structure, made of two big side turrets (including at their bases, behind the front pipes, the two positives) and of a central body constituted of the organ loft console and of the bombard keyboard placed in front of the recital keyboard;
A particularly distinguished bombard case design (at the center);
The presence of glass elements at the base of the side turrets and under the tribune console; those elements are dimly enlightened by an invisible system located behind the glass panels;
The design of both consoles: the registration stops are implanted ergonomically and vertically at the tribune console, inspiring itself on the vertical plan of the horizontal ergonomic principle developed by Cavaillé-Coll for certain consoles; the mobile console sits on two lateral bodies, sheltering the combinatorial and the computer allowing the use of the MDI system, so that the space under the keyboards remains free;
Finally, the suggested design of two angels with their wings pointing towards the sky, and the elements located on the top of the two side turrets.

The instrument

A unique organ in the world

The new organ of Lausanne’s cathedral

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