François Thierry (; 1677–1749) was the last representative, in the third generation, of an important family of

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

organ builders based in Paris. He was the grandson of Pierre Thierry and the nephew of Alexandre Thierry.

Biography

François Thierry was born in 1677, son of Jean Thierry, the brother of Alexandre Thierry, who headed the family firm and taught him the art of organ making. After the death of his uncle, François Thierry spent some time perfecting his skills under Pierre-François Deslandes. Then, guided by Henri Lesclop, nephew of

Robert Clicquot Robert Clicquot (1645–1719) was a French organ builder from Paris. His most notable organs are in the Chapel of the Palace of Versailles, the churches of Saint-Quentin and Saint-Louis des Invalides in Paris and Rouen Cathedral. Clicquot's desce ...

, he launched out on his own. François Thierry worked in

Nemours Nemours () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in north-central France. Geography Nemours is located on the Loing and its canal, c. south of M ...

in 1703 on the organ of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church built in 1653 by Pierre Desenclos et Jacques Lefebvre, at the Cathedral of Sainte-Croix d'Orléans from 1703 to 1706, and at the college of Saint-Aignan d'Orléans in 1706.

Andreas Silbermann Andreas Silbermann (16 May 1678 – 16 March 1734) was a German organ builder, who was involved in the construction of 35 organs, mostly in Alsace. Andreas also established the Silbermann family tradition of organ building, training his brother Go ...

arrived in Strasbourg in 1702, then came to Paris to improve his skills and study Parisian methods of organ making. He was first rebuffed by Jacques Carouge, then found an attentive and generous teacher in François Thierry, who also taught his art to Pierre Legros and Nicolas Dupont of Lorraine. From 1714 François Couperin sent him to the make improvements to the organ at

St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais () is a Roman Catholic parish church located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, on Place Saint-Gervais in the Marais district, east of City Hall (Hôtel de Ville). The current church was built between 1494 and 1657, ...

, Paris. With the decline of Robert Clicquot and the disappearance of Henry Lesclop in 1721, he was able to obtain many of the best projects in Paris. His greatest work was the construction in

Notre Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris ( ; meaning "Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris"), often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a Medieval architecture, medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine), in the 4th arrondissemen ...

of a new organ in a new buffet, reusing some components of previous instruments, between 1730 and 1733. The instrument included forty-nine ranks and five manuals. It included several major innovations, and was the largest in the kingdom until Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas Lefebvre completed the monumental organ in the Basilica of St. Martin of Tours. The main part of the buffet can be seen today, little changed. At the reception of the organ, the best organists of the time performed: Guillaume-Antoine Calvière, Pierre Du Mage,

Louis-Claude Daquin Louis-Claude Daquin (or D'Aquino, d'Aquin, d'Acquin; July 4, 1694 – June 15, 1772) was a French composer, writing in the Baroque and Galant styles. He was a virtuoso organist and harpsichordist. Life Louis-Claude Daquin was born in Paris to a f ...

and

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (19 December 1676 – 26 October 1749) was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born, and died, in Paris. Biography Clérambault came from a musical family (his father and two of his sons w ...

. The organ was used without problems for fifty years until its reconstruction in 1783 by

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 ...

Works

Selected works include: *

Rouen Cathedral Rouen Cathedral () is a Catholic church architecture, church in Rouen, Normandy, France. It is the Episcopal see, see of the Archbishop of Rouen, Primate of Normandy. It is famous for its three towers, each in a different style. The cathedral, b ...

(1717 and 1731) *Saints-Innocents, Paris (1719 and 1725). The buffet is now visible in

Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet () is a Catholic church in the centre of Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement. It was constructed between 1656 and 1763. The facade was designed in the classical style by Charles Le Brun. It contains many notable ...

Saint-Germain-des-Prés Saint-Germain-des-Prés () is one of the four administrative quarters of the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France, located around the church of the former Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Its official borders are the River Seine on the nor ...

(1720 to 1722), the masterpiece of the previous two generations of his family *The convent of the Immaculate Conception of the Récollettes (1723) * Saint-Godard, Rouen (1723) *

Soissons Cathedral Soissons Cathedral (French: ''Cathédrale Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais'') is a Gothic basilica church in Soissons, France. It is the seat of the Bishop of Soissons, Laon, and Saint-Quentin. The construction of the south transept was begun abou ...

, where he added a keyboard (1725) * Saint-Maclou, Rouen whose superb Renaissance buffet still exists (1727) * Basilica of St Quentin (1737) for the organ begun just before his death in 1703, by his uncle Alexandre Thierry with

References

Citations Sources *

Norbert Dufourcq Norbert Stéphane Jean-Marie Dufourcq (21 September 1904 – 19 December 1990) was a French organist, music educator, musicologist and musicographer. Biography Norbert Dufourcq was born in 1904 in Saint-Jean-de-Braye in the Loiret department ...

, ''Le Livre de l'Orgue Français'', tome III, la Facture, 2e partie, Picard, {{DEFAULTSORT:Thierry, Francois 1677 births 1749 deaths French pipe organ builders