Simon Templet plays Choral-Improvisation sur le “Victimae paschali” by Charles Tournemire (transcribed by Maurice Duruflé).
The organ is by Létourneau Pipe Organs, Opus 138, at Saint Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, New Orleans, Louisiana (2025). The new organ comprises 93 stops, 79 ranks, 4,433 pipes over four manuals and pedal.
Létourneau’s Opus 138 resides in the four corners of the sanctuary. The Great, Swell, Solo, and Pedal divisions completely fill the chancel chambers, with new tone openings created between the chambers and the nave. These have been filled with symmetrical casework in oak and 16′ tin pipes, replacing faux plaster pipes that had occupied these wall surfaces since 1930; the casework is complemented by two new cantilevered cases displaying 8′ façade pipes facing each other in the chancel.
At the other end of the room, two cases in the gallery each cantilever 16′ façades over the choir risers. These cases contain the Positiv, Choir, and Gallery Pedal divisions, with bass pipes from the Positiv 8′ Open Diapason, the Pedal 16′ Contrebasse, and the Pedal 8′ Violoncello on display.
The organ is featured on the cover of the June issue of The Diapason:
https://www.thediapason.com/sites/diapason/files/Diap0626_FullIssue.pdf
https://www.thediapason.com/content/cover-feature-letouneau-pipe-organs-opus-138
Builder’s website: www.letourneauorgans.com
Church website: www.scapc.org
