An adventurer of pipes
It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Paul-Louis Siron, who passed away on January 20 at the age of 101. Orgues Nouvelles had the pleasure of publishing a portrait of him in the form of an interview by Martine Hahn in its 53rd issue (summer 2021). Here it is.
At 96, Paul-Louis Siron was the oldest serving organist in Geneva. Enthusiastic and passionate, he shares some memories with us, foremost among which is the gradual construction of a large personal organ.
MARTINE HAHN: You are still a big fan of concerts. What is your secret?
PAUL-LOUIS SIRON: I taught languages at secondary school level in Geneva (lycée), then music appreciation. In 1962, thanks to the enthusiasm of a few student musicians, I founded the Geneva College Orchestra, which quickly grew, and with which I made several trips… as far as China!
Then, many middle school students wanted to sing, and so the Calvin Middle School choir was born. Finally, in 1984, I founded the Orphée vocal ensemble, which I conducted until I was 77 and which still sings today. I have always stayed in touch with these young people, who have become parents and later introduced me to their children. These experiences and loyal friendships strengthen bonds for life.
M.H.: Another of your passions was the organ, which you heard for the first time as a child…
P.-L.S.: When I was very young, I used to go to the temple in my hometown—La Chaux-de-Fonds, 140 km from Geneva—to listen to organ concerts with my parents. Later, in 1943, I arrived in Geneva to study literature at the university, and at the same time I continued my piano studies, notably with Dinu Lipatti, of whom I am perhaps the last surviving pupil. Then I studied organ with Pierre Segond, the cathedral organist, whom I often replaced for services before giving concerts myself. At the time, the organ was a 1907 Tschanun with a pneumatic action that was becoming increasingly defective. Pierre Segond and I then passionately imagined the construction of a new instrument that would allow us to perform Bach as well as Franck and Messiaen.
What an extraordinary adventure it was to collaborate with the Metzler organ builders in Dietikon. This mechanical organ, which was a novelty in Geneva, was inaugurated in 1965. At that time, I was organist at the Fusterie church, near the cathedral, which I left in 1966 for a parish not far from the train station, in Pâquis, where a new organ was to be built by the builder Georges Lhôte. It was another mechanical organ to replace a pneumatic one, and an equally exciting experience, even on a smaller scale (17 stops).
M.H.: Your forties are definitely an exciting time! Retirement is still a long way off. Does the idea of one day no longer being a titular organist worry you?
P.-L.S.: I didn’t think much about retirement. But for a long time, I had wanted to build an organ, without really knowing how. The idea came to me during a trip to Paris. I found a spinet, a kind of rectangular virginal with a clear, precise, and warm sound, which I bought without hesitation, determined to combine it with an organ. An organ that I could install in my living room? Was I capable of doing that? I had followed two organ-building projects and had done a lot of work on the construction of my house… I was no longer a novice handyman. I could count on several friends who were organ builders, notably Georges Lhôte and Édouard Armagni, and on the Saint-Martin factory near Neuchâtel. I also learned a lot by observing the interior of “my” organ in Les Pâquis.
I really started building my organ after retirement. I made my first wooden pipes (Bourdon 8′ from the 2nd C). I made a very small wind chest—a highly complex task—and inserted my pipes into the holes, but since I didn’t have a motor, I used a vacuum cleaner that I ran backwards. That was my first thrill as an organ builder, and from then on, I told myself I could go for it.
M.H.: In this adventure, did you have a schedule with steps to follow?
P.-L.S.: I had the important steps in mind, but I quickly gave up on setting deadlines, which were impossible to meet. After two years, I had placed four stops on the windchests and installed the pull-down mechanism. The instrument wasn’t tuned, but I wanted to hear it, and it was miraculous! I had the large pipes for the Soubasse made and bought all kinds of parts from Laukhuff, including the Tremblant. The Mixtures came from Germany. This organ has 19 stops, plus the spinet, which is the third keyboard. Being a bit of a prankster, I slipped in a Rossignol, with its foot in water that evaporated too quickly, which I replaced… with brake fluid!
M.H.: Then we had to assemble the organ’s facade…
P.-L.S.: Yes, that was very difficult! I wanted the final result to look natural, playing on the colors of the wood (oak, walnut, beech, olive, rosewood), the volumes, the heights of the pipes, and I wanted everything to reflect the interior elements, hence the presence of metal pipes, even though they are silent. Once everything was in place, I realized that there were only angles in this facade, so I softened it by adding rounded shapes.
M.H.: Isn’t building an organ for yourself a daunting project?
P.-L.S.: You can’t be in a hurry, and even if there are tricky stages—making conical pipes or installing certain valves—you have to see it through to the end and never give up. It’s like a solo sailing race: you know the route, you prepare for it day and night, but you don’t know the conditions. You weather storms and solve problems you didn’t think you had the skills to tackle, but you believe in yourself. Sometimes the solution to a puzzle presents itself when you least expect it. You go through some intense emotions, and in the end, you’ve achieved a victory for yourself above all else.
M.H.: And since 1996, this organ has been a constant companion in your life?
P.-L.S.: I wanted an organ to play all of Bach and French Baroque music, so I needed at least a Plein Jeu and a Cornet. I couldn’t have built a romantic organ—it would have taken up the whole room—but I do have a Montre, even if it starts at the second octave due to lack of space. Although my living room is small, I can invite friends over for a concert, and I’ve also made a few recordings there. But one day, this organ will remain and I will leave. What will become of it?
Interview by Martine Hahn Martine Hahn was involved in the creation of the Musée de l’Art Brut in Lausanne when Dubuffet offered his collection to the city (1971), and from there she moved to Geneva to work in the field of special education (teaching, then management) for children with disabilities. She “entered the world of organs” for a new life in retirement.
