Hundreds attend Grammy-award winning Organist's recital

[KB7DQH]

It has been said that the pipe organ is the king of all musical instruments.

When played properly, it can sound as quiet and as peaceful as a country brook in a summer afternoon. In just a matter of seconds, the organ can be as loud and terrifying as a violent thunderstorm.

Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs demonstrated the organ's capabilities—and more—Friday night at a concert recital at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair.

A crowd of more than 600 people came from as far as West Virginia to see and hear the young man classical music critics have dubbed, "The finest young organist in America," and one of the most accomplished musicians in the world.

Jacobs, who grew up in Washington, Pa., studied piano with local teachers Antoinette Resciniti, Susan Woodard and Vicky Sisson, and studied organ with George Rau, while he was organist for Immaculate Conception Church at the age of 13.

He went on to refine his talents at the prestigious Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. The Trinity High School graduate is now chair of the organ department at The Juilliard School in New York, and has played in venues all over the world.

His latest CD, which followed his Grammy Award-winning CD of Olivier Messiaen's,  "Livre du Saint Sacrement," is of Aaron Copeland's "Organ Symphony," recorded with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

Friday night's recital marked a triumphant return for Jacobs to the same venue, where at age 23 he performed an 18-hour marathon of the complete organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach in 2000, which commemorated the German composer's death. Then, as he did on Friday evening, Jacobs performed the entire recital by memory.

The first half of the program featured music by 20th Century composers. He opened the program by playing John Weaver's, "Fantasia for Organ." It was Weaver with whom Jacobs studied at Curtis.

Jacobs followed with French composer Maurice Duruflé's, "Sicilienne," from Suite, Op. 5. The work showed Jacob's artistry as he painted a flowing and peaceful portrait of serene solitude.

Jacobs then turned to the majestic composition style of English composer Edward Elgar, with the "Allegro Maestoso" and "Allegretto," from the Sonata in G Major.

He completed the first part of the program with Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March." His showmanship and technique were most obvious, as he brought the audience to their feet for a standing ovation prior to the intermission.

Jacobs devoted the second half of his program to Bach, an admitted favorite composer. Opening with the "Triple Fugue in E-Flat Major," Jacobs demonstrated his tremendous ability with coordinating three separate themes played against each other. One with the right hand, the second with the left hand, and the third with his feet.

It is part of Jacobs' style and connecting with the audience that he introduced each selection on the program explaining the nuances of the music, but also the style of the composer.

"Listening to Bach is very demanding," he told the audience. "So much of what we hear today we are listening to as background. Bach demands so much more. I like to listen to each line he wrote and separate them from the others. Bach demands your undivided attention. You listen to his music with your soul, and your soul is rewarded."

Jacobs then played Bach's "Trio Sonata in E Minor," with each movement performed meticulously and with precision. He then moved to Bach's hauntingly beautiful "Arioso from Cantata No. 156," and concluded the program with "Prelude and Fugue in A Minor."

Another standing ovation led to an encore performance of the "Pomp and Circumstance March."

The sound Jacobs got from the Austin Organ, Opus 2734 in Westminster Presbyterian Church was enough to shake the windows, and send the crowd home with a blissful and delightful evening of hearing organ music at its finest.

Jacobs will return next spring to do a concert at Heinz Chapel in Pittsburgh through the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

"I love coming home to Washington and to Upper St. Clair," he said. "This area and all of you mean the world to me. I tell people in New York and around the world just how special this area is to me."

To the crowd that attended the Friday night concert, the feeling was obviously very mutual.

http://peters.patch.com/articles/hundreds-attend-grammy-award-winning-organists-recital

Eric
KB7DQH