Dom Bédos de Celles

François Lamathe Bédos de Celles de Salelles, known as Dom Bédos de Celles, (24 January 1709 – 25 November 1779) was a Benedictine monk best known for being a master pipe organ builder.

He was born in Caux, Hérault, near Béziers, France. He was elected to the French Academy of Sciences at Bordeaux and correspondent of the Academy at Paris in 1758.

As a recognized organ-builder, he was called upon to carry out repairs and appraise and advise other organ-builders in many locations across France.

In 1760 he published "La Gnomonique pratique ou l’Art de tracer les cadrans solaires" under the patronage of the Jean-Paul Grandjean de Fouchy, Secretary of the Academy of Sciences and an authority in gnomonics and sundials.

In 1766-78 he published his treatise L'art du facteur d'orgues (The Art of the Organ-Builder). This monumental opus contains great historical detail about eighteenth-century organ building, and is still referred to by modern organ-builders.

The 26 images below are taken from this work, kept in the St.Bernard's abbey library in Bornem.

He is buried in the former Abbey (now Basilica) of Saint-Denis.

Bibliography

Dom François Bédos de Celles, L'art du facteur d'orgues (facsimile edition). Kassel / New York, Bärenreiter, 1963–65

Ferguson, Charles, The Organ-Builder. Translation of Dom François Bédos de Celles' L'art du facteur d'orgues. Raleigh, NC: Sunbury Press, 1977

External links

Extraits de L'art du facteur d'orgues (French)
L'art du facteur d'orgues on "L'Hydraule" (French)
Video on YouTube
Jean-Luc Perrot play the Romance from l’Art du facteur d’orgues, Dom Bedos de Celles on the organ François-Henri Clicquot, Souvigny

Title page

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.

Organ building in the mid 18th century.