Samuel joins his brother in Europe and they visit major organ installations and builders in France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and England. Builders include: Cavaillé-Coll, Puget, Merklin, Walcker and Willis.

Upon their return to Saint-Hyacinthe, Samuel and Claver found Casavant Frères and announce the opening of their workshop in a printed leaflet dated November 1879. Claver (24) is responsible for tonal design and voicing, while Samuel (20) is responsible for technical matters and public relations.

Salluste Duval inaugurates the Casavant brothers’ first three manual organ (Opus 8, 38 stops) installed in the Saint-Hyacinthe Cathedral. This instrument is the first Casavant to make use of Barker levers. The organ also featured the first successful adjustable combination system, later known as a capture system. In 1887, the Casavant brothers give the plans of this system to Frank Roosevelt.

Only six years after the opening of their workshop, the Casavant brothers sign a contract on November 23 to build their first four manual organ of 82 stops to be installed at Notre-Dame Church (now Basilica) in Montréal. Considering the fact that Samuel is 26 and Claver is 30 and that they had completed just nine instruments at the time makes this commission all the more remarkable. In the following years until its installation in 1891, the brothers work diligently on this monumental project. Claver travels in Europe and submits the specification to many colleagues, most notably Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. They are also in close contact with Hilborne and Frank Roosevelt in New York when developing the application of electricity that is employed in this instrument’s stop action. During this same period, prior to 1886, they are offered a position as a foreman in the Roosevelt company in New York, which they decline.

Completion of the first four manual organ (Opus 26, 82 stops) at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montréal, a mechanical action instrument with pneumatic Barker levers that also features an electro-pneumatic stop action as well as an adjustable combination system. At the time, it is the second largest pipe organ in North America. Frederick Archer, one of the greatest organists of this time and first conductor of the Pittsburgh Orchestra presents a series of three inaugural recitals on May 20-22, 1891. In the newspaper La Presse, Archer states: “In my opinion, this organ is beyond all reports, the best and most complete instrument on the American continent.” This instrument, which the Casavant brothers later called their morceau de roi (king's piece), firmly establishes Casavant Frères as organ builders of international repute. More than thirty years after its installation, Samuel Casavant writes:

In 1885, the Curé Sentenne conceived the idea of providing Notre-Dame with a monumental organ; it was a risky project at the time. It was accomplished with brilliant success and caused a sensation. Mr. Sentenne left a monument here that contributed to the immortalizing of his name. This instrument has never ceased to be a subject of pride for us. We have remained attached to it, because it was the first major work of our career.

The Casavant brothers complete their first organ employing the successful use of electro-pneumatic action at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ottawa (Opus 34, 3 manuals, 52 stops). The main instrument, divided in two cases on either side of the gallery, is built using mechanical action with Barker levers. Pipes from Joseph Casavant's 1850 organ are used at the opposite end of the long nave of the cathedral for the Sanctuary organ on windchests employing electro-pneumatic action that permit this division to be played from the main console. Frederick Archer inaugurates the organ. William Carl, then director of The Guilmant Organ School in New York, writes to the brothers in 1901:

The tone is superb and the voicing has been particularly well done. The instrument is a noble example of the art of organ building, and I hope the day will come when we shall have many of them in the United States.

Casavant installs the first organ in the United States at Notre-Dame Church in Holyoke, Massachusetts (Opus 63, 2 manuals, 16 stops).

Casavant Frères patents its first “sliderless” windchest, which is the predecessor of the electro-pneumatic pitman windchest still in use today.

Following a request by French organist and composer Eugène Gigout, his younger brother Alphonse Gigout (57) becomes a voicer at Casavant following thirty years of experience with Cavaillé-Coll and Debierre in France. He is a specialist in flue voicing, especially harmonic flutes and completes the tonal finishing of many instruments before his death in Saint-Hyacinthe in 1909. During his tenure he also trains a number of voicers who will work at Casavant in the succeeding generations.

Casavant installs its first organ in New York City, at St. Francis Xavier Church (Opus 184, 4 manuals, 70 stops), where Gaston Dethier is organist.

The first use of electro-pneumatic windchests with pitman action.

Casavant installs Opus 550 in St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Toronto, Ontario (4 manuals, 114 stops). St. Paul’s is completed in 1913 and, with a seating capacity of 3000, is one of the largest churches in Canada. At the request of the church and consultant, the reed stops are made by Harrison and imported from England. The organ is dedicated on April 29 by Healey Willan, who emigrated to Canada in 1913 to become Head of the Theory Department at the Toronto Conservatory as well as Organist-Choirmaster at St. Paul’s. He premieres his Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue on November 30, 1916 on this instrument, which continues not only to serve the parish but also is used for important civic and national events such as the 1982 memorial service for pianist Glenn Gould.

Joseph Bonnet makes his first North American concert tour. He plays Casavant organs at Église Très-Saint-Nom-de-Jésus (Opus 600) in Montréal, at Basilique Notre-Dame (Opus 211) in Quebec City and at Notre-Dame Cathedral (Opus 34) in Ottawa. Bonnet plays a significant role as an advisor to Casavant Frères and collaborates more frequently than any other French organist on projects involving new organs.

Casavant installs Opus 700 (4 manuals, 136 stops) in Boston at Emmanuel Church, at the time the largest pipe organ installed in a church in the United States. Lynnwood Farnam, who is organist at the church and instrumental in this installation, writes to the brothers in 1918:

More remarkable still is the musical effect produced by the fine finish, blend and balance of the voicing. The more I use the instrument the more does it seem supremely beautiful and satisfying to one's idea of what a true organ should be.

The Casavant brothers install their first organ in South America at Église du Sacré-Cœur in Riobamba, Ecuador (Opus 725, 2 manuals, 20 stops).

Salluste Duval dies at his home in Montréal in July at the age of 65.

Stephen Stoot, who is born in Truro, England in 1881, comes to Saint- Hyacinthe from the Casavant workshop in South Haven, Michigan where he had been working since 1916. In Saint-Hyacinthe he works closely with Claver Casavant and following Claver’s death serves as the tonal and technical director for the next 38 years. Stephen Stoot is an organist and, like Claver Casavant, is a firm believer in the importance of the ensemble in organ design.

Casavant patents the roller-relay key contact system that had been invented by Stephen Stoot in 1915. This system has remained in continuous use since 1918 and is well known not only for its extraordinary reliability but also is greatly appreciated by organists for its touch.

Casavant installs a large four manual organ in Orchestra Hall in Detroit, Michigan. Opus 1013 of 1924 and the Tuba Organ, Opus 1112 installed in 1926 total 82 stops. The organ is dedicated on March 17, 1924, by Marcel Dupré in a performance that includes solo literature and the Detroit premiere of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, Opus 78.

In November, Henry Willis pays a visit to Casavant Frères and upon Lynnwood Farnam's recommendation, visits the organs at Basilique Notre-Dame (Opus 26) and Église Très-Saint-Nom-de-Jésus (Opus 600) in Montréal. Willis writes of this instrument in the July 1925 issue of The Organ:

The organ which gave me the most pleasure, and which I consider the Casavant chef d’oeuvre, is that in the Church of the Sacred Name of Jesus, Maisonneuve, Montreal.

Casavant installs the first organ in Japan, at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Tokyo (Opus 1208, 2 manuals, 16 stops). The organ is destroyed during an air raid bombing in 1945.

Casavant installs an organ in South Africa in Salisbury, (Rhodesia) Zimbabwe (Opus 1220, 2 manuals, 18 stops).

Louis Vierne makes a concert tour in North America playing many Casavant organs, among which are ones at Sainte-Catherine Church (Opus 1160) in Montréal, Victoria Hall (Opus 1148) in Westmount, and St. Paul's Church (Opus 550) in Toronto of which he writes from The Curtis Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 7, 1927:

Bravissimo for the marvellous Casavant at St. Paul in Toronto. It is a work of art (chef d’oeuvre) tonally and mechanically. The joy I experienced in playing it is inexpressible. Yours faithfully, L. Vierne

Casavant installs the largest organ in Canada, at Metropolitan United Church in Toronto (Opus 1367, 5 manuals, 116 stops). This organ remains virtually untouched.

Casavant Frères is awarded the Grand Prix at the International Exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium.

Casavant establishes a separate woodworking department mainly for the design and construction of custom-built furniture for churches and public buildings such as schools, libraries and banks. In 1948 they receive a contract to build the furniture for the chamber of the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa. This department ceases operation in 1981.

Aristide Casavant, President of Casavant Frères, dies at the age of 49 on December 26 and is succeeded by Fred N. Oliver, his brother-in-law.

Casavant installs its first large neo-classical organ at Église Saints-Martyrs-Canadiens in Québec City (Opus 2557, 4 manuals, 68 stops).

Stephen Stoot dies on October 8 in Saint-Hyacinthe at the age of 71.

Casavant completes the installation of its largest mechanical action organ at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, Rhode Island. (Opus 3145, 4 manuals, 73 stops, 125 ranks)

Gerhard Brunzema, previously associated with Jürgen Ahrend in the firm of Ahrend & Brunzema, becomes Tonal Director in April. During his tenure many mechanical action instruments of all sizes are built. His methodical approach and classical training results in many improvements in the layout and action of the instruments built during his tenure. From a tonal standpoint, his approach generally favors North German baroque aesthetics although other styles of instruments are also built.

Casavant Frères is purchased by Bertin Nadeau, who succeeds Charles Perrault as President.

Casavant installs its first instruments in Mexico including two organs at the Basilica de Santa Maria de Guadalupe in Mexico City. This enormous shrine, built to house as many as 10,000 worshipers contains a 2 manual organ of 17 stops and the main organ (Opus 3312), a 5 manual instrument of 116 stops and 187 ranks. At the time if its installation it is the largest Casavant organ ever built.

Casavant installs a three manual organ of 82 stops (Opus 3353) at St. Peter's Cathedral in Erie, Pennsylvania. This organ is built with a French symphonic aesthetic and, as such, foreshadows an important shift in tonal orientation that will occur during the last two decades of the twentieth century.

Casavant installs an organ at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa (Opus 3360, 3 manuals, 37 stops).

Installation of the first instrument in Australia at the University of Adelaide (Opus 3405, a three manual mechanical action instrument of 36 stops).

Casavant signs a contract for a large mechanical action organ at the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne, Australia (Opus 3434, 4 manuals, 58 stops).

In the 1970’s, under Gerhard Brunzema's tonal direction, Casavant Frères carries out some important restoration projects, namely the 1893 mechanical action organ at the parish church in Saint-Eugène, Ontario (Opus 38, 2 manuals, 16 stops) and the 1912 electro-pneumatic organ at the Saint-Hyacinthe Cathedral (Opus 482, 4 manuals, 42 stops). Brunzema’s European experience with historical organs helps to define the important conservative approach taken with both instruments.

Completion of the sixty stop, 102 rank, four manual mechanical action instrument at the Community of Christ Temple Sanctuary in Independence, Missouri (Opus 3700). John Obetz is organist. Scott Cantrell, Music Critic for the Kansas City Star writes,

Without question, it's one of the most glorious organs in North America. …the sounds themselves are inherently luscious; tones pour out warmly, effortlessly. You don’t so much hear the pedal stops as feel them compressing your rib cage. As you add more and more stops, the sound gets denser and more room filling, but it never yells or screeches; it never seems loud. (May 16, 1993)

At Antoine Reboulot’s request, the ceremony awarding him the Croix de Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur, which is the highest distinction awarded to an individual by the French government, is held at Casavant Frères on April 18. Mr. Reboulot is born on December 17, 1914 in France where he studies organ with Marcel Dupré and André Marchal, winning prizes in both performance and improvisation. Prior to emigrating to Québec in 1967, he is associated with a number of composers including Arthur Honegger and Olivier Messiaen. His distinguished career includes performances as an organ and piano recitalist, composer, adjudicator and pedagogue at the Universities of Laval and Montréal. Mr. Reboulot dies at the age of 87 in Montréal on July 11, 2002.

Casavant celebrates its 115th anniversary with the presentation of the complete organ symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor presented in concerts in five cities on five Casavant organs of different vintages. Five organists including Jacquelin Rochette perform on the following organs: Saint-Hyacinthe Cathedral (Opus 482, 1912), Notre-Dame Basilica in Montréal (Opus 26, 1891), Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica in Cap-de-la-Madeleine (Opus 2679, 1963), Saint-Roch Church in Québec (Opus 1732, 1943) and the Saint Germain-Cathedral in Rimouski (Opus 879, 1921).

Between October 14 and November 11 the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) broadcasts five programs marking the 115th anniversary of the founding of Casavant Frères. The final program on November 11 consists of a two and a half hour live broadcast from the workshops of Casavant Frères featuring interviews and performances on three instruments in montage at that time, Broadway Baptist Church—Fort Worth, Texas (Opus 3750), First Presbyterian Church—Livermore, California and St. John’s Lutheran Church—Aiken, South Carolina (Opus 3728).

Upon the retirement of Jean-Louis Coignet, who continues his association with Casavant Frères as Tonal Director Emeritus, Jacquelin Rochette assumes the role of Tonal Director after twenty years working in close collaboration with Dr. Coignet.

Casavant Frères celebrates its 125th anniversary by commissioning a new work for solo organ by Dan Locklair. In Mystery and Wonder: The Casavant Diptych, which is performed during the weekend of November 13-14 by organists all over the world playing Casavant organs. Other events include a CBC broadcast from Église Saint-Nom-de-Jésus (Opus 600) in Montréal featuring Canadian organists Patricia Phillips Wright, Pierre Grandmaison, Jacquelin Rochette and John Tuttle. Jacquelin Rochette presents a pre-concert lecture on the tonal history of Casavant at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas where Pierre Pincemaille performs a solo recital that includes the commissioned piece and an improvisation on a theme written by Marcel Dupré for a Casavant organ dedication in 1966. In November, an entire broadcast of the syndicated radio program; Pipedreams is devoted to Casavant organs of different vintages.

The current and retired artisans and their families gather for a celebration including musical performances and a multi-media presentation on Casavant Frères focusing on the individuals, past and present, who build the organs. Mr. Albert Bonin, age 94, who joined Casavant Freres in 1925 is present and recognized as Casavant’s oldest living craftsman.

2005

In November, a large four-manual, 88-stop organ was dedicated at the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. The style of the organ is based on the late work of French builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. Interestingly, this project, took us back to the roots of the firm founded in 1879 by Claver and Samuel Casavant. Not only did we take inspiration from the work of our own founders but also this project again revived our appreciation and respect for their work.

2006

A tangible result of Casavant’s commitment to build quality mechanical action organs, a new three-manual, 42-stop instrument is installed in the main auditorium of Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, USA. Designed as a concert and teaching instrument by Tonal Director, Jacquelin Rochette, and Director of Mechanical Action Workshop, Didier Grassin, the new organ is used extensively in recitals and with choirs.

2009

A new three-manual, 31-stop organ is installed at the Teatro Aula Magna of the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan. This is the first major pipe organ project in the history of Puerto Rico.

Developed by the Casavant team, the DAC system (Double Action Casavant) is patented. With this ingenious system, a straight mechanical action can be complemented with a second electro-pneumatic action without compromising the crispness of the tracker action. This proves to be very useful in concert hall situations, where a second, moveable console, is desirable.

2010

China becomes the home of two new Casavant organ, a first in the firm’s history. Large mechanical-action organs are installed at the Grand Theater of Hefei, Anhui Province (four manuals, 60 stops), and at the National Theater or Ordos, Inner Mongolia (three manuals, 56 stops).

2011

A first Casavant organ will be installed in a Catholic church in Asia, at the historic Igreza de Sao Lazaro in Macau.

The largest Casavant organ built with mechanical action will be installed at the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri, USA (four manuals, 79 stops).

The preceding outline from the history of Casavant Frères represents highlights of the remarkable adventure by two brothers who had a passion for organ building and established a strong company that continues to this day. All of us at Casavant Frères are grateful for the genius of the Casavant brothers, who established their company on a firm foundation of excellent workmanship and solid management, and who understood from the beginning that the continuing success of such endeavours is found in team effectiveness rather than in the cult of personalities. We are the inheritors of this tradition and it is our responsibility to bear the name Casavant into the future through our daily work, which becomes tomorrow’s history.

© Casavant Frères