Beuchet-Debierre

et al 1-2

Saint Marcel (1967)

Parisian organs built by Debierre

Louis Debierre Chapelle des missions étrangères (192x) Saint-Lambert de Vaugirard (1901) Gloton-Debierre Saint-Esprit (1934) Opéra comique (193x) Beuchet-Debierre Saint-Odile (1950) Notre-dame-de-l'assomption-de-Passy (1965) Chapelle Notre-dame-du-bon-conseil (1966) Saint-Marcel (1967) Below: An overview of the organ building tradition of Nantes. Source: www.plenumorganum.org/facteurs-et-musiciens/des-facteurs- dorgue/un-siecle-et-demi-de-facteurs-nantais-en-bretagne/

Louis François Debierre (1842- 1920), son of a cabinetmaker of Nantes, was apprentice at several organ- and harmonium builders in Paris (e.g. Debain) before returning to Nantes and setting up his own business. While he built some fine three-manual instruments of around 50 stops, he is best known for his patented portable organs, which he began to make in 1871. In 1882, he got a patent for the invention of organ pipes ‘of multiple notes’. He named this organ ‘orgue portatif à tuyaux polyphones’ and sold it around the world. In Paris, the Chapelle des missions étrangères and the crypte de l’église Saint Honoré d'Eylau house a polyphone. He also obtained a patent for electro-pneumatic action in 1888. Debierre retired in 1919 and sold his business to Georges Gloton (1876-1955), an organ builder from Bourgogne, who learned his skills at the workshop of Cavaillé-Coll. Gloton followed the tradition set by Debierre, together with his associate Le Mintier; the name of the firm was then changed to Gloton-Le Mintier. Being childless, he formed the young Joseph Beuchet (1904-1970), grandson of Louis Debierre, who became one of the directors of the House Cavaillé-Coll in 1931. In 1934, Gloton-Le Mintier opened a branch in Paris in which Joseph Beuchet took the lead. In 1947, Joseph Beuchet became head of the company, now named Beuchet-Debierre, with among others Eugène Picaud and Jean Perroux as employees. Eugène’s son Jacques Picaud became the head of the Paris branch, together Jacques Barbéris. Joseph Beuchet died in 1970 and his son, named also Joseph, became head of the company until its closure in 1980. The firm played a leading role in the XXth century Parisian organ landscape, in particular with regard to restorations of major Parisian organs. The number of new organs built by this firm is relatively small. The Danion-Gonzalez firm was their main competitor. The Beuchet-Debierre firm has been continued after its closure by former employees: Jacques Picaud Jacques Barbéris François Sebire Olivier Glandaz Marc Hedelin Louis Eugène Rochesson