If one seeks to understand why a group of people decided, at the end of 1980, to create an association dedicated to the restoration of the Daurade Choir Organ, one must first answer another question: why have such an instrument when there is already a magnificent organ high up in the gallery at the back of the nave, the Poirier-Lieberknecht organ of 1864?
Quite simply because, during the nineteenth century, as organ-building techniques evolved, the organ gradually became a larger and more symphonic instrument, increasingly unsuited to its original purpose: accompanying worship.
As organs grew in size, they were moved away from the choir and installed wherever sufficient space could be found. In most large churches, a smaller instrument was therefore built specifically for liturgical accompaniment. This is what happened at La Daurade with the construction of the Choir Organ by the Toulouse organ builder Théodore Puget in 1881.
The liturgical reforms introduced after the Second Vatican Council further increased the usefulness of such an instrument. Consequently, the Friends of the Daurade Organs Association, officially founded in December 1980, made the restoration of this organ, then seriously deteriorated after a century of service, its primary objective.
While the financing of the project necessarily required the support of public authorities and official bodies, the Association undertook to contribute through its own activities, notably by organizing concerts within the exceptional setting of the Basilica.
From the very beginning, and in full agreement with Father Guy Chautard, then parish priest of La Daurade, it was decided that the guiding principles of these musical evenings would be:
- The voluntary participation of all performers
- Admission with a free-will donation from the audience
This policy has been maintained ever since. Its great advantage was to make high-quality concerts accessible to everyone, particularly to young people.
A vibrant musical tradition soon developed through some fifty concerts organized by the Friends of the Organs under the devoted leadership of Pierre Stortti.
Although the Association achieved its original goal with the restoration and rebirth of the Daurade organs in 1992, it remains highly active and continues to organize concerts.
Executive Committee
Executive Committee of the Association (as of 14 March 2026):
- President: Ms Françoise Courtines
- Vice-President: Pr Jan Willem Jansen
- Secretary: Pr Yoann Tardivel
- Treasurer: Mr Didier Hème
Membership
Would you like to become a member of the AOD?
> Write to us: amisdesorguesdeladaurade@gmail.com