ORGAN DESIGN INNOVATION: BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH JEAN GUILLOU
by Alexia Tye

Imagine enjoying an open-air organ concert in the middle of Central Park, a cruise ship or in an outdoor amphitheatre like the Roman amphitheatre in Verona, Italy, packed to the brim with an enthusiastic audience who would not normally dream of stepping into a church to listen to "religious" music. And how about having 12 organists all playing at the same time on the consoles? Of course, at the end of the concert, all the modules, divisions and the console would be packed up in containers to be whisked away to the next performing destination, as befits a truly mobile instrument.

A futuristic vision? No, a real project, called the "Orgue à Structure Variable" (the Variable Structure Organ), conceived and currently being implemented by Jean Guillou, the multi-faceted organist, composer, pianist, pedagogue, musicologist and visionary "organologue". Jean Guillou just celebrated his 76th birthday, and is still full of boundless energy and creative genius as he continuously extends the frontiers of innovation in organ design, with the conception of new organs across the globe, such as the instruments at Alpe d'Huez in the French Alps, the Zurich Tonhalle, the Naples Conservatory and the "Chant d'Oiseaux" in Brussels. His latest organ design, the recently installed organ in the Auditorium of Tenerife, with eight cases and 12 sound bodies, is just a step away from the construction of the Variable Structure Organ.

For Jean Guillou, it is time for organ design to go beyond being strait-jacketed by historic tradition, and to look to the future, whilst in a sense returning to the original role of the organ in antiquity - an instrument that is played not just in a church or a religious context, but which directly approaches its public in festive or artistic contexts. Guillou's book "L'Orgue, Souvenir et Avenir", the 3d new edition bei Buchet/Chastel, and the second german edition, (loosely translatable as "The Organ, Remembrance and Future" - an English edition has not yet been published) traces the development of the organ from its roots in the 3rd century B.C. to the present day, developping his own ideas about the future of the organ and also about interpretation and improvisation.

Guillou's Variable Structure Organ, dubbed "the organ of the 21st century," is an amazing instrument being planned for 2007/2008 (subject to the arrangement of financing and/or sponsorship). It will totally revolutionise the art of organ building and organ performance. It consists of 15 autonomous and moveable modules linked via a single co-axial cable to the master console, each having its own wind supply and a keyboard on the rear side of its case. A key unique feature of this organ is that the same of the stops can be heard on different manuals, to fit different registration requirements. In addition, some stops change in character as one moves up the keyboard: a "flûte à cheminée" becomes a "flûte conique", and then metamorphoses into a nachthorn. Or a cromorne becomes a trumpet, and a douçaine transforms into an hautbois!

The action is necessarily electronic, this electronic sensibel action developped by the italian firm ELTEC, and the interior of each division is partially visible, through swell shades in plexiglass. The large pipes in some divisions are mounted horizontally. Needless to say, there is no electro-acoustic amplification. Because of their total mobility, the modules can be positioned in literally any way, grouped together or placed around the public.
Alongside this organ project, Guillou is also busy with the publishing of his compositions. This prolific composer (with more than 70 opus numbers, newly published by Schott Germany) believes that the organ should not be restricted to being a solo instrument, but should be played in a variety of different instrumental formations. Guillou's numerous orchestral and ensemble compositions such as his Colloque No.8 for organ and marimba, or other Colloque with piano or percussions, "Alice in Organland" for recitation and organ, or the Organ concerto No.5 for organ and brass and the 6 concertos with orchestra bear witness to this philosophy. Another area where Guillou is active is in the arrangement of transcriptions for organ, of works such as Bach's Musical Offering, Liszt's Orpheus, and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition - a real tour de force. Amongst his solo organ works one may also cite "Säya", a poem on a Korean folk song, the 6 Sagas, or the Scènes d'Enfant.

Unsurprisingly, for an international concert artist well-known for his brilliant technique and breathtakingly effortless mastery of the pedalboard, Guillou's works have been described as "presenting extreme technical challenges while conveying a deeply poetic message". After the traditional 'symphonic organ' and the 'contemplative organ" of Messaien, Guillou has been said to represent a new revolution - that of the 'dramatic organ' ("l'orgue dramaturgique"). In any case, do not pigeon-hole Jean Guillou in the "French organ tradition" as he views himself as an international artist with eclectic horizons. Guillou is fluent in 5 languages and has lived and worked in Lisbon, Berlin and Paris.

Jean Guillou the pedagogue has been teaching about 300 gifted young organists from all lands at his masterclasses at the Zurich Tonhalle annually since 1970. This activity has been stoped in 2005, because of death of the founder and Mecene, he now plans to bring these classes over to St Eustache, Paris, in the near future.

Let us also say a few words about Guillou's international performing career and extensive discography. Jean Guillou revived the piano and organ sonatas of Julius Reubke, a pupil of Liszt who died at the age of 24 leaving behind these two masterpieces, each half an hour long. In 1982 he was awarded two interesting awards: the Grand Prix Liszt by the Liszt Academy in Budapest, as well as the "International Performer of the Year" by the New York Chapter of the AGO. Guillou has recorded with Philips, CBS, Dorian and Festivo, and Philips has recently re-released disques from the 1960s and 1970s, whilst some CDs have become rare collectors' items because they are no longer commercially available.

And what of Jean Guillou, the church organist? Yes, in between his hectic schedule of composing, teaching masterclasses, performing in concerts, designing organs and writing, Jean Guillou is titular organist of the Van Heuvel organ at the parish church of Saint Eustache in Paris, recently celebrating the 40th anniversary of his appointment. One can hear him most Sundays, accompanying Mass and indulging in one of his favourite passions - improvisation.

For enquiries on the Variable Structure Organ email : osvguillou@wanadoo.fr For enquiries on the Saint Eustache organ association email : jguillou@free.fr

Si vous souhaitez contribuer à la construction de l'OSV, soit comme adhérent à l'Association pour sa construction, soit comme mécène, vous pouvez prendre contact avec l'Association OSV : osvguillou@wanadoo.fr

Published in The American Organist, August 2006.