Pipe organ in Étampes, Pipe organ in Notre-Dame-du-Fort church, Étampes, France
The pipe organ in Notre-Dame-du-Fort church is a wind instrument featuring three towers, each holding five pipes, with two flat side sections. The facade is decorated with gilded angel heads from the 18th century.
The instrument was built originally in 1587 and retained more than 45 percent of its original pipes. A major restoration by François Thierry took place in 1708.
The console displays keyboards made from bone and ebony, showing how organ builders worked in traditional times. These handcrafted techniques remain visible in the instrument's construction details today.
The instrument operates with suspended mechanical transmissions and square-section draw stops that allow precise control of both the great organ and echo registers. This design gives the player detailed command over both manual divisions.
The instrument uses a classic meantone temperament, a tuning method that is less common in historic organs today. The pitch is calibrated to 440 Hz, matching the modern orchestral standard.
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