Hamel, Marie Pierre

1786-1870

Organ expert; born at Auneuil, Oise, France. He studied music and violin when quite young, but he obtained his knowledge of organ construction alone, when quite a youth restoring the organ of his native village. Later he reconstructed the great organ of Beauvais Cathedral. He was the founder of a Philharmonic Society at. Beauvais, one of the first to introduce Beethoven's symphonies in France. He is the author of a history of the organ and biographies of the most distinguished organists, the title of which is Nouveau Manuel complet du facteur d'orgues.