Tierce en Taille from Premier livre d'orgue

The French Baroque composer, Pierre Du Mage (1674-1751), sadly only has one surviving volume of organ works. His first music teacher was likely to be his father, organist at Beauvais Cathedral, and Du Mage subsequently studied under Louis Marchand in Paris. In 1703, he was appointed as the organist of the Collegiate Church of St-Quentin and it is to the chapter of St-Quentin that his 1708 _Premier livre d'Orgue_ is dedicated. He subsequently moved to Laon Cathedral where his disagreements with the chapter resulted in him leaving to become a civil servant.

Composed along traditional French forms, the collection contains a single 'Suite du premier ton' of which the 'Tierce en Taille' forms the fourth movement. It's fine example of Du Mage's skill as a composer. If only he had written more.

There are so many fabulous French organs available for Hauptwerk, but I currently only one such example: the sample set of the beautiful Isnard organ in the Basilica of Saint Maximin in Provence. It's one of the best, and here the solo voice of the Positif can be heard against the 16' foundation of the Grande-Orgue and Pédale.