"Visitors from France"

Article written by Ann Henderson, President of the Chapel Society.

From Jan 11-17, 2007, the French Consultant to the Puget Organ Restoration Project, the organist, Michel Colin, and newly contracted organ builder, Charles Henry, (following from Yves Cabourdin) from Entrechaux (Vaucluse) in Provence, visited Sydney. Michel Colin is the titular organist of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Victoire in St Raphaël and Professor of Organ at Hyères.

Charles Henry and Michel Colin meet their 'clients' Sister Kath Ragg,Sister Mary Shanahan and Sister Margaret McKay in the Chapel during the visit.

"Organ Conference in Chatswood January, 2007" left to right: Charles Henry, Patricia Horsley, Ann Henderson, Pastór de Lasala,Michel Colin

Charles and Michel’s first visit to Sydney has been memorable for many reasons.

These included their first view of the Chapel and the tribune where the organ will be returned next year, meeting with the nuns, discovering the full importance of the history which brought so many priceless items of French heritage to Sydney, and long meetings and discussions covering every possible aspect of the organ’s return.
Extensive and detailed measurements were taken and acoustic testing performed. The space in the tribune is very limited and it is critical to ensure the organ will fit and still have integrity.

Not a moment of their short stay was wasted, and we are starting to feel the excitement build as we turn the corner and see the end of a very long project which is in exceptional and capable hands.

The highlight of their visit was the recital given by Michel Colin on Friday, 12 January, at Christ Church St Laurence, in Sydney. At 7pm, a capacity crowd assembled in the beautiful Church. Pastór de Lasala, the Assistant Consultant to the Restoration Project, welcomed the audience and we premiered the DVD we have made showing the organ’s history.

Beginning with Bach’s great Prelude and fugue in C Major (BWV 547) Michel performed works composed by great French composers. These included Guilmant and Widor, who knew and respected Eugène Puget, both as an organ builder, an organist and a friend. Michel also performed one of his own compositions.

At the end of his programme, he was handed music for an improvisation. This piece was devised by Pastór and based on 3 names: Sophie (for St Madeleine Sophie Barat), Eugène (Puget), and Mabel (Rev. Mother Mabel Digby, Superior General of the Order of the RSCJ at the time of closure of French convents, and the reason the organ came to Sydney. For 20 minutes, in the tradition of great organists, Michel played and we listened, enthralled.

A detailed review of Michel’s recital is on our website from Andrew Grahame, of 2MBS-FM, the presenter of the organ music programme. He described Michel’s performance as “one of the very best I have ever heard”. What touched me very much after Michel had finished playing was Sister Cecelie Amiet saying, “That sounded just like our old organ”. And of course the genius of Michel was that he made a very English organ sound like a French organ.

My thanks to Peter Jewkes and everyone at Christ Church St Laurence who willingly allowed us to use this beautiful venue for Michel’s recital as a fund-raising benefit, and made us very welcome.

We were fortunate to have a second performance from Michel, as we had arranged a private visit to the great Hill organ at Sydney Town Hall on the following Sunday. Thanks to Robert Ampt, organist at STH giving generously of his time, Michel and Charles had two hours there on Sunday afternoon and we went behind the magnificent façade to walk (carefully) amongst all the original pipes of the organ that was the biggest in the world when installed, and still has the largest working pipe. Michel played another improvisation as well as a piece by Guilmant.

We were very impressed with the thorough approach and attention to detail that both Charles and Michel are giving to the completion of the organ’s restoration. Both are wonderful characters who naturally fell in love with Sydney and the friendliness of Australians. We respect and appreciate the wealth of knowledge and experience they bring to complete a project that has occupied so much careful planning and hard work. It is planned to begin the installation during the mid-year School holidays in 2008, and to finish it during the January holidays of 2009.