Claude-François Clicquot (1762 – 29 March 1801) was a French organ-builder, son of the celebrated

François-Henri Clicquot François-Henri (also Henry) Clicquot (1732 – 24 May 1790) was a French organ builder and was the grandson of Robert Clicquot and son of Louis-Alexandre Cliquot, who were also noted organ builders. Clicquot was born in Paris, where he later ...

. During and after the French Revolution he saved many organs in Paris and in the provinces.

Biography

Poitiers - Cathédrale Saint-Pierre - Orgues2

Claude-François Clicquot was born in Paris in 1762, son of the organ-builder

(d. 1790) and Antoinette Poinsellier (d. 1796). He worked with his father on new organ construction. After his father's death, he mostly worked on restoring organs that had been damaged during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...

. These included instruments at Saint-Eustache,

Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas () is a Roman Catholic parish church in Paris, France. The cathedral is located at the corner of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue de l'Abbé de l'Épée in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. The church has been registered as a his ...

and

Saint-Merri The Church of Saint-Merri or ''Église Saint-Merry'') is a parish church in Paris, located near the Centre Pompidou along the rue Saint Martin, in the 4th arrondissement on the Rive Droite (Right Bank). It is dedicated to the 8th century abbot of ...

. Claude-François Clicquot completed a treatise on organ-building, ''Théorie pratique de la facture d’orgues'', that his father had started. The thesis was based on the organ that he and his father built for

Poitiers Cathedral , native_name_lang = French , image = File:Poitiers Cathédrale Saint-Pierre AL1.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of St Peter in Poitiers , pushpin map ...

, which is still almost intact today. He died in Paris on 29 March 1801.

Work

Saint Merri, Paris

The organ case at Saint-Merry dates back to 1647, and was built by Germain Pilon. François-Henri and Claude-François Clicquot rebuilt the organ in 1778 and 1782. Claude-François undertook further work in 1791 after the death of his father. During the

(1789–1799) the church was used as a saltpeter factory, and from 1795 to 1801 was called the "Temple of Commerce". The instrument escaped looting. In 1796 the case was repaired by the organist Desprez, and in 1799 Claude-François restored it to working condition. A major overhaul was later undertaken by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1857, but a large part of the Cliquot pipework remains.

Poitiers Cathedral

Claude-François Clicquot worked with his father on the organ for

Poitiers Cathedral , native_name_lang = French , image = File:Poitiers Cathédrale Saint-Pierre AL1.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of St Peter in Poitiers , pushpin map ...

. The previous organ had been destroyed in a fire. François-Henri Clicquot, at that time the leading organ-builder in France, was appointed to create the new one, but died in Pentecost 1790 before completing the work. Claude-François Clicquot finished the job, handing it over for presentation in March 1791. The instrument is a beautiful example of eighteenth century organ design.

Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas. Paris

The organ for the Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné Collegiate was the work of

Matthijs Langhedul Matthijs Langhedul (d. around 1636) was a Flemish organ-builder who did important work in Paris. He and Crespin Carlier had great influence on the development of the classical seventeenth century French organ. Early years The family of Matthij ...

. When that institution was secularized in 1792, its organ was transferred and installed in the

Église Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas () is a Roman Catholic parish church in Paris, France. The cathedral is located at the corner of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue de l'Abbé de l'Épée in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. The church has been registered as a his ...

by Claude-François Clicquot. The church was sacked in 1793, but was allowed to continue to be used as a place of worship. Between 1797 and 1801 the Catholics had to share the building with the Theophilanthropists, who occupied the choir as a "Temple of Benevolence". The organ later suffered from damage and renovations. It underwent extensive restoration by Alfred Kern & fils, completed in 1971.

References

Notes Citations Sources * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clicquot, Claude-Francois 1762 births 1801 deaths French pipe organ builders