LORET: Elévation, played on Schyven harmonium

Описание: Clément Loret (1833-1909) was born in Belgium, but spent most of his career in France, as an organist, composer, and teacher. He studied with Lemmens and Fétis at the Brussels conservatory, and later taught organ at the Niedermeyer School in Paris. For thirty years he was organist at the Second-Empire National Basilica dedicated to Ste. Geneviève (now the Panthéon de Paris). I don't know when Loret composed this Élévation for harmonium, but the score credits him as organist at the church of St. Louis d'Antin, another post he held from 1858-'66. That small church is a gem of mid-Victorian Greek Revival decoration, now surrounded by taller and larger buildings near the old opera house. The instrument is a superb Schyven harmonium, built in Brussels in 1885. It is in the collection of the Harmonium Art Museum in Klein-Willebroek (north-west of Brussels): a treasure-house of reed organs, focusing on Belgian instruments, such as those visible in the background. (www.harmoniummuseum.centerall.com) Thanks to the curator Ben Roemendael for his wonderful restorations, for opening the museum for us, and for a round of beer at the end of the day; and to our friend Niels for arranging our visit on 31 March 2012. Performed by Michael Hendron.