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Dalstein-Haerpfer
The
Haerpfer
house
of
Boulay,
in
Moselle,
is
one
of
the
most
important
French
organ
building
companies
in
eastern
France,
during
the
third
third
of
the
19th
and
the
first
half
of
the 20th century.
Created
when
the
Moselle
was
still
French,
it
took
off
in
a
"Reichsland"
that
was
obviously
more
sensitive
to
the
Germanic
repertoire.
The
techniques
and
"sizes"
adopted,
and
therefore
the
colours
allowed
for
harmonization,
are
inspired
by
Walcker,
Voit,
Haas
and
the
great
German Romantics.
The
adventure
between
the
two
builders
began
in
1862,
on
the
construction
site
of
the
great
organ
of
St
Sulpice:
(Jean-)
Charles
Haerpfer
(photo,
1835-1909,
already
trained
with
Steinmeyer,
Walcker
and
Haas)
and
(Nicolas-)Etienne
Dalstein
(1834-1900,
mainly
a
carpenter
by
training)
both
worked
for
Cavaillé-Coll
in
Saint-Sulpice.
In
1863
they
decided
to
set
up
their
own
business,
settling
in
Boulay
(Moselle).
The
company
was
founded
in
1863.
The
duo
was
in
fact
a
trio:
there
was
also
Jean-François
Dalstein
(1826-?),
a
brother
of
Étienne.
Charles
was
the
harmonist,
with
the
Dalsteins
bringing
capital
and
entrepreneurial
skills.
They
won
many
contracts
thanks
to
Dr.
Albert
Schweitzer,
who
promoted the firm and described it as a "faithful battle dog."
The
Dalstein-Haerpfer
House
was
a
pioneer
of
the
"Alsatian
Organ
Reform"
and
the
design
of
their
organs
had
its
roots
in
both
the
German
and
French
Romantic
styles.
Schematically,
the
Dalstein-Haerpfer
organs
were
a
mixture
of
Walcker
and
Cavaillé-Coll.
They
equipped
their
organs
with
German-designed
windchests, sizes and stops; and French-style reeds.
From
1905,
Frédéric
Haerpfer
(1879-1956)
and
Paul
Dalstein
(1868-1926)
gradually
took
control
of
the
factory
and
in
1918
the
company
was
bought
by
Frédéric
Haerpfer.
The
Moselle
company
has
delivered
more
than
150
instruments,
mainly
in
Moselle, Alsace and Germany.
In
1939,
the
outbreak
of
war
halted
the
expansion
of
the
Manufacture,
which,
in
order
to
meet
its
needs,
had
to
transform
its organ building activity into coffin construction.
In
1946,
the
name
of
the
company
was
changed
to
"Manufacture
Lorraine
des
Grandes
Orgues
Haerpfer-Erman",
when
former
director
Walter
Haerpfer
(1909-1975)
joined
forces
with
Pierre
Erman
(1913-1990).
The
Haerpfer-Erman
House
restored
and
created
instruments
in
the
neoclassical
style,
supported
by
Marie-Claire
Alain.
Théo
Haerpfer
(1946-1999)
directed
the
Manufacture
Lorraine
des
Grandes
Orgues
Haerpfer
from
1978
until his death in 1999 and Pierre Erman retired in 1978.
In
total,
the
dynasty
built
or
restored
about
550
instruments
from 1863 to 1999.
Église Notre Dame du travail (1991)
Parisian organs built by Dalstein-Harpfer
Eglise luthérienne Trinité-Saint Marcel - Saint-Marcel (1908)Parisian organs built by Harpfer
Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Grenelle (1989) Notre-Dame-du-travail (1991)
Organs of Paris
Dalstein-Haerpfer
ORGANS OF PARIS © 2024 Vincent Hildebrandt ALL ORGANS 
The
Haerpfer
house
of
Boulay,
in
Moselle,
is
one
of
the
most
important
French
organ
building
companies
in
eastern
France,
during
the
third
third
of
the
19th
and
the
first half of the 20th century.
Created
when
the
Moselle
was
still
French,
it
took
off
in
a
"Reichsland"
that
was
obviously
more
sensitive
to
the
Germanic
repertoire.
The
techniques
and
"sizes"
adopted,
and
therefore
the
colours
allowed
for
harmonization,
are
inspired
by
Walcker,
Voit,
Haas
and
the
great
German
Romantics.
The
adventure
between
the
two
builders
began
in
1862,
on
the
construction
site
of
the
great
organ
of
St
Sulpice:
(Jean-)
Charles
Haerpfer
(photo,
1835-1909,
already
trained
with
Steinmeyer,
Walcker
and
Haas)
and
(Nicolas-
)Etienne
Dalstein
(1834-1900,
mainly
a
carpenter
by
training)
both
worked
for
Cavaillé-Coll
in
Saint-Sulpice.
In
1863
they
decided
to
set
up
their
own
business,
settling
in
Boulay
(Moselle).
The
company
was
founded
in
1863.
The
duo
was
in
fact
a
trio:
there
was
also
Jean-François
Dalstein
(1826-?),
a
brother
of
Étienne.
Charles
was
the
harmonist,
with
the
Dalsteins
bringing
capital
and
entrepreneurial
skills.
They
won
many
contracts
thanks
to
Dr.
Albert
Schweitzer,
who
promoted
the
firm
and
described it as a "faithful battle dog."
The
Dalstein-Haerpfer
House
was
a
pioneer
of
the
"Alsatian
Organ
Reform"
and
the
design
of
their
organs
had
its
roots
in
both
the
German
and
French
Romantic
styles.
Schematically,
the
Dalstein-Haerpfer
organs
were
a
mixture
of
Walcker
and
Cavaillé-Coll.
They
equipped
their
organs
with
German-designed
windchests,
sizes
and
stops;
and French-style reeds.
From
1905,
Frédéric
Haerpfer
(1879-1956)
and
Paul
Dalstein
(1868-1926)
gradually
took
control
of
the
factory
and
in
1918
the
company
was
bought
by
Frédéric
Haerpfer.
The
Moselle
company
has
delivered
more
than
150 instruments, mainly in Moselle, Alsace and Germany.
In
1939,
the
outbreak
of
war
halted
the
expansion
of
the
Manufacture,
which,
in
order
to
meet
its
needs,
had
to
transform
its
organ
building
activity
into
coffin
construction.
In
1946,
the
name
of
the
company
was
changed
to
"Manufacture
Lorraine
des
Grandes
Orgues
Haerpfer-
Erman",
when
former
director
Walter
Haerpfer
(1909-
1975)
joined
forces
with
Pierre
Erman
(1913-1990).
The
Haerpfer-Erman
House
restored
and
created
instruments
in
the
neoclassical
style,
supported
by
Marie-Claire
Alain.
Théo
Haerpfer
(1946-1999)
directed
the
Manufacture
Lorraine
des
Grandes
Orgues
Haerpfer
from
1978
until
his
death in 1999 and Pierre Erman retired in 1978.
In
total,
the
dynasty
built
or
restored
about
550
instruments from 1863 to 1999.
Église Notre Dame du travail (1991)
