The great organ in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is as magnificent an instrument as it is historically significant. The largest organ in France, its expansions over the centuries seamlessly incorporated sections from earlier instruments, providing it with an exceptional variety of sounds in addition to its sheer power.

Miraculously preserved from the flames and water during the catastrophic fire that engulfed the cathedral's roof in 2019, the instrument nevertheless had to be completely taken apart and its 8,000 pipes cleaned individually to rid them of lead powder, then carefully reconstructed and tuned.        

Olivier Latry, titular organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral for 40 years, joins Bach expert Thierry van Bastelaer for a conversation about the history of the organ and the factors that make it unique among the instruments that Latry plays as one of the world's most sought-after concert organists. They discuss the impact of the cathedral’s restoration on how the instrument sounds in its newly cleaned environment and how the musician's relationship with the instrument was revived after five years of silence.

The presentation is highlighted by video clips of the interior of the organ, its reconstruction process, and video performances by Latry on the instrument.

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