17th/18th Century France

Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century France
French Classical Registration

Basic Principles
There is no other period in the history of the organ and its music for which we have a body of literature that survives with such complete registration instructions as we do for the Classical French repertoire. Even in the twentieth century, composers - - aware of the wide variety of instruments and dispositions that might be used for their music - - have for the most part been content to give only modest suggestions to the performer. In the period of the French Classical organ, however, no such diversity of instrument design and construction existed. An organ in one place was made like an organ in another. The consistent disposition found on virtually all organs of the period lead to conventions in registration that were respected and followed throughout all of France. To be sure, some differences can be found in both instruments and registration practices from the extremes of the period, but these differences are slight compared to the element of continuity and consistency one finds in the surviving sources. In other words, a French organ from end of the eighteenth century has more features in common with an instrument of the middle of the seventeenth century than it has features which distinguish it from the earlier instrument.
During the seventeenth century, the principles of registration that characterize the French Classical organ and its literature were being developed along with the instrument and its music. Composers of the time used registration indications as titles of individual movements, and often they published more explicit directions in the prefaces to their publications. This is one area of registration practice in organ music where we have such precise instructions that we ought to follow them whenever possible. You are urged to pick up a piece of music and follow the composer's instructions in order to learn the principles of registration involved in his music. These instructions are readily available in several modern books, and many newer editions of the music include a composer's registration instructions as well as the music. ¹²⁵
Many of the indications given both in titles of movements and in prefaces to publications are solo and accompaniment registrations. These include specific lists of stops to be drawn for different effects, to be used in specific pitch registers, or to be used to accompany a given melodic line. For the most part, composer's suggestions indicate logical combinations, with reeds, cornets, and combinations that include mutations being used for solo lines, while flutes and/or principals are drawn on an different manual to accompany them. Within this general practice, most instructions indicate that a reed should not be drawn alone as a solo stop; instead, it should be accompanied by its foundations. That is, the 8' Bourdon and 4' Prestant should be drawn on the same manual with the reed. Contrasting solo registrations can also be drawn on a pair of manuals for performance of duo or trio textures where independent but equally important voices are wanted.
In a further refinement of the process of naming movements or pieces by their registrations, some titles also included an indication of the register in which the solo line was played, as in these examples:

Récit. With no further indications, expect a melody line in the treble to be played on the Cornet of the Récit division.
Basse de Trompette. A solo line played in the bass register of the Trompette of the Grand orgue, with its foundations, as noted above.
Tierce en taille. A solo line played on the "Jeux de tierce" of the Positif, sounding in the "middle" range. This is one of the few textures or genres in which the Pédale was used to play an independent part the bass line under the melody.

In compositions where an ensemble of voices is wanted, rather than a solo line, there are two common registrations used in French Classical practice, used both to indicate the stops that are to be used and as titles of pieces:

Plein jeu: principals at 16', 8', 4', 2' pitches, Fournitures, Cymbales, and Bourdons at 16' and 8' pitches, the Positif coupled to the Grand orgue.
Grand jeu: reeds at 8' and 4' pitches, Cornets, Bourdon 8', flute mutations of the 8' harmonic series, and the 4' Prestant, the Positif coupled to the Grand orgue.
The Classical Plein Jeu is, of course, related to similar registrations in both Dutch and German practices, and is a descendant of the Medieval Blockwerk in both content and practice. The Grand Jeu, on the other hand, is a quintessentially French sound, one that has been associated with the French Classical organ and its music since the earliest sources.
The most elaborate compositions in the repertory are the Dialogues, which typically included indications for manual changes, alternation between melodic and ensemble textures, and sometimes even special effects involving the use of the Echo division. When no other indication is present, dialogues are meant to be played using the Grand jeu registration.
Pedal stops are rarely used, and they are a part of normal registration in only two instances.

In some compositions, the Plein jeu registration is drawn on the manuals and is used to play a rather full, chordal texture. The Trompette of the Pédale is used to play a cantus firmus against this in long note values.
In compositions in which a solo melody line is played en taille, the Flûte is used to play the bass line.

Top of Page | Later Developments | Review Quiz

Later Developments
The eighteenth century saw little change in the overall approach of a French organ-builder to his trade. The general pattern of Grand orgue, Positif, Récit, Echo and Pédale that developed a century before was by 1700 found in instruments throughout the realm. In detail, however, the organs of the eighteenth century, some of which remain in an unaltered or restored condition, show some differences when compared to their predecessors. In terms of design and construction of individual stops:

Greater dynamic contrast was given to soft and loud stops as the century progressed.
Pedal divisions began to include 16' stops.

In terms of common use of stops, two new ensemble registrations appeared:

Flûtes, in which the Bourdons 8' and Flûtes 4' of both Grand orgue and Positif were coupled.
Fonds d'orgue or Jeu de fonds, in which the Bourdons 16' and 8', Montres 16' and 8', and the Prestants 4' of both Grand orgue and Positif were coupled.
Composers continued to write pieces that used traditional textures, and whose titles indicated the types of registrations that were to be used. As the eighteenth century progressed, composers began to call for new combinations of stops more and more, and new genres of compositions, especially Noëls, were in the forefront in making use of these new sounds. These sounds even extended to the point of beating upon the keys of the Grand orgue in order to imitate the sound of drums when playing "fife and drum" music.¹²⁸ The search for "special effects" was perhaps a symptom of unrest at the end of the eighteenth century. Shortly after Dom Bedos published his description of the organ, France was embroiled in the Revolution. Organs were no longer wanted, and indeed many churches were closed. It was not until the nineteenth century that organ building resumed to any extent in France. As you might expect, the French organ after the revolution, although it had many characteristics in common with its predecessor, took a different direction in its development.

Top of Page | Later Developments | Review Quiz

Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century France French Classical Registration

Basic Principles

Later Developments

Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century France
French Classical Registration