OSM Accepts Grand Orgue Pierre-Beique

Today marked the acceptance of the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique by the OSM at its home, Maison symphonique de Montréal. This major stage, which confirms that production of the organ is now complete, begins the break-in period for the instrument, which will culminate with the inaugural concert on May 28. The event took place in the presence of Olivier Latry, OSM organist emeritus and titular organist at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, whose role for the occasion was to carry out acceptance of the instrument, and Jacquelin Rochette, artistic director at Casavant Frères, who received the acceptance.

Acceptance is a contractual procedure that confirms receipt of the instrument, at the conclusion of a stringent inspection when installation is completed and the organ is ready for use. "It's with considerable emotion that I'm here to witness the important stage that acceptance comprises," said Madeleine Careau, OSM's chief executive officer, "and this thanks to the good graces of our organist emeritus, Olivier Latry, and the internationally acclaimed builders from Casavant Frères, represented today by the firm's artistic director, Jacquelin Rochette. We're not at the end of the road yet, because the breaking-in phase is just beginning, but I'm convinced that what we have here is an exceptional instrument that I can't wait to hear together with our audiences. We can now count on Maestro Kent Nagano to make this organ the pride of all Quebecers."

"Through this acceptance, harmonization work on the OSM's Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique is now concluded," stated Olivier Latry. "I've been very impressed by the ability of the Casavant builders to develop and modify the organ's sound settings on the basis of the aimed-at result. I have no doubt: we're in the presence of a true musical instrument, and there's every reason to believe that its adaptability, the great variety of its timbres and their wonderful musicality will be important assets in the performance of works with orchestra and organ repertoire."

"We receive this acceptance from the OSM with much joy and humility," added Jacquelin Rochette, artistic director at Casavant Frères. "Casavant's Opus 3,900, the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique, is quite certainly the most accomplished instrument that we've had the opportunity to build. In fact, I think I can safely say that the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique will make the company's name on an international scale in the years to come. And that makes us very proud."

The final phase of the project, the break-in period of the instrument, will now begin, and conclude on May 28, when the first sounds of the organ will ring out in Maison symphonique. The programming for the inauguration days of the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique is taking shape. The OSM has planned an open-house day for May 31, the inaugural concert on May 28, and two other concerts, on May 29 and June 1, at which OSM organist in residence Jean-Willy Kunz, will be premiering a work commissioned from Canadian composer Samy Moussa. A dress rehearsal is also scheduled, for May 27, with those in attendance including families of the musicians and employees of Casavant Frères. Details of the festivities, to which the public is of course invited, will be announced at a later date.

It will be recalled that in November 2006, a committee was set up with the goal of defining the artistic needs and technical properties of an organ designed expressly as an orchestral instrument, and to seek competitive bids. In September 2009, following discussions with the committee and music director Maestro Kent Nagano, the OSM executive board decided in favor of Casavant Frères. Subsequently, Olivier Latry was named artistic advisor to the OSM so that compliance with the specifications determined by the committee could be guaranteed. The instrument was manufactured in the workshops of Casavant Frères in St-Hyacinthe and then installed in Maison symphonique de Montréal thanks to the efforts of builders from that internationally renowned house.

The organ at Maison symphonique de Montréal, to be inaugurated on May 28, 2014, was manufactured on behalf of the OSM by the house of Casavant with the collaboration of architects Diamond Schmitt + Ædifica for its visual design, and will be the Orchestra's property. This is a large organ intended for orchestral use, and is recorded in the books of the Saint-Hyacinthe builder as Opus 3,900. It consists of 109 registers, 83 stops, 116 ranks and 6,489 pipes.

It bears the name Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique, in tribute to the OSM founder and first general manager (from 1939 to 1970). An astute administrator and a committed music lover, Pierre Béique took over from Antonia Nantel, wife of Athanase David, who had acted, since 1934, as secretary of the board of directors of the Société des concerts symphoniques de Montréal, the forerunner of the OSM.

Purchase of this organ was made possible courtesy of Mrs. Jacqueline Desmarais, who assumed the total cost and who in so doing, and with this designation, wished to keep alive the memory of the inimitable contribution made by Mr. Pierre Béique to the OSM's mission of excellence.

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