Organist Paul Jacobs

Horrible photo, but tonight we went to a wonderful organ concert on campus.

Last month the long-time University organist (and good friend of our friends Jeanne & Raymond), Marianne Webb passed away. Her will provided for a concert some weeks after her death and it stipulated that it had to be played by Paul Jacobs, whom The Economist (11/1/2013) recently called “America’s leading organ performer” and The New Yorker had called “the leading American organist of his generation.” Jacobs is also the first-and-only organist ever to earn a Grammy (in 2011). He joined the faculty at The Julliard School several years ago and was named chair of the organ department a year later … still in his twenties!

The instrument he played was the University’s organ, which was designed by Marianne Webb between 1969 and 1971; in 2001 the organ was named in her honor. It is a 58-rank Reuter pipe organ.

This was taken from some distance, without flash, so B&W was my only chance for something post-able. (As MaryBeth would say, it required ETSOOI just to get this “good.”)

1 year ago (“In the cactus house…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-01-17
2 years ago (“Painting prep”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-01-17
3 years ago (“A dreary winter’s day”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-01-17

The Concert
Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 532 –Johan Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Canon in A-flat Major, Op. 56, No. 4 –Robert Schumann (1810–1856)

Voluntary in D Minor, Op. 5, No. 8
» Allegro-Largo-Allegro –John Stanley (1712–1786)

Prelude in F –Nadia Boulanger (1887–1979)

Pomp and Circumstance March, Op. 39, No. 1 –Edward Elgar (1857–1934)

Andante in F, K. 616 –Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

Sonata in D Minor, Op. 42
» Introduction et Allegro
» Pastorale
» Final –Alexandre Guilmant (1837–1911)

Jacobs spoke to the audience several times, talking about Marianne, audiences (!) and the pieces he was playing. He explained how Pomp & Circumstance has come to be an American graduation/commencement march and he provided the background on the Mozart piece: it was written for a commission near the end of his life when he needed the money. It was written to be played by a mechanical clock with wooden “pipes”!

[MaryBeth Dailey]

What a great idea Marianne had to allow for this amazing organist to play for everyone! It is a great shot, ETSOOI and all, to get indoors at a concert! That is hard to do! Sounds like a great night.

[Rick Schies]

Love pipe organ, and it must have been a wonderful experience