Widor Toccata - Paul Jacobs plays the Hazel Wright Organ

Рет қаралды 66,716

10 ай бұрын

Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs performs Charles-Marie Widor's famous Toccata from Symphony No. 5 on the Hazel Wright Organ at Christ Cathedral, Garden Grove, CA. "Hazel" is the fifth largest organ in the world, with more than 17,000 pipes and nearly 300 ranks. It combines the 1962 Aeolian-Skinner instrument from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City with the 1977 Ruffatti organ originally built for the Garden Grove Community Church (later the Crystal Cathedral).
Paul Jacobs is the first organist to receive a Grammy Award (for Olivier Messiaen's towering Livre du Saint-Sacrement) and is considered "America's leading organ performer." At age 23 he performed the complete organ works of J.S. Bach in an 18-hour non-stop marathon concert, and at age 26 was appointed chair of the Organ Department at The Juilliard School. Jacobs, known for a prodigious musical memory, has performed on five continents and in each of the 50 United States, and as a concerto soloist with many major orchestras. www.pauljacobsorgan.com/
Recorded by Christian Amonson. www.seeingsound.com/
Thumbnail: Priscilla C. Scott.

Пікірлер: 56

@GrantLeitma 4 ай бұрын

My favorite living organist!

@mannfan12 3 ай бұрын

my favorite organ!

@user-dg9iy5td8h Ай бұрын

Wunderschön, mir sind grad die Tränen gekommen, vielen Dank, Ihr Arbeitsplatz ist an der schönsten Orgel der Welt

@NotUrComrade 2 ай бұрын

Magnificent. Truly one of the standards for the performance of that piece.

@bcgrittner Ай бұрын

Goosebumps!

@waynesamuels1427 2 ай бұрын

Well played Paul on the Mighty Hazel Wright organ at Christ cathedral. Much to my enjoyment. May you continue to entertain us the lovers and listeners of the King of Instruments. On the 5th largest pipe organ in the world. Great Stuff. Wayne from Cape Town South Africa.

@leonardapriore9366 10 ай бұрын

I am in awe of the amazing talent of Paul Jacobs. And to think that I have had the extreme honor to have him accompany me singing. How blessed am I!!!! VERY!!

@georgepitchley3946 27 күн бұрын

My wife and I left the church to this piece after our marriage nearly 53 years ago in Clapham, London. After having found the story of “Hazel” on KZfaq I found this wonderful rendition, I have honestly got to say this version and knowing the story behind the organ makes it really special for me, Fantastic!,

@carinatiotuico6453 10 ай бұрын

❤❤❤ I always admired you and still do. Dearest Paul Jacobs you are playing it so so beautiful you make me cry, amazing. breathtaking and flawless. Everybody can see what an Grammy Artist Organist can do....wowww no words, it gives me chills! See you soon!

@kupferdulzian16 10 ай бұрын

I appreciate the straightforward approach of the 1879 edition. I am glad to see Paul Jacobs playing that here (brilliantly). I have worked the intricacies - necessary piston changes instead of manual changes and expression pedaling (especially the last two pages) - of the 1900 edition, but I have finally come to the conclusion that the added difficulties aren't worth it. So, thank you Paul for a little bit of vindication! 🙂

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, Craig!

@clydeblair9622 10 ай бұрын

I heard this on the pipe organ of the Redford Theatre in Redford, Mi and the air movement was just awesome. The whole theatre seemed to be breathing. The footwork just knocks me out!

@hoangvupham4373 10 ай бұрын

@clydeblair9622 10 ай бұрын

@@hoangvupham4373 ?

@w.f.deheer9220 4 ай бұрын

Great performance. Very well done, mr. Paul Jacobs👏

@organmusic2562 4 ай бұрын

Many thanks for your comment!

@TRUE_FAITH93007 10 ай бұрын

Truly talented..... Superb

@scriabinop23 4 ай бұрын

Paul long time no see! Look me and Ines up in San Diego next time you are around. Beautiful video and love this piece.

@twood3270 9 ай бұрын

Great interpretation of this magnificent piece! The tempo was perfect. The sound is much better in the new environment, and the accoustics allow you to add much better "color" to the Widor Toccata. Thanks again, Mr. Jacobs ---

@organmusic2562 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for your comment!

@stefanodeluca-jl2si 5 ай бұрын

Grande Maestro Paul, Grande Organo Ruffatti, Grande esecuzione. Complimenti e grazie per averci regalato questo bellissimo momento.

@organmusic2562 4 ай бұрын

Grazie!

@erichkusterer6339 5 ай бұрын

Perfektes Tempo, mühelos gespielt. Da kann man schon etwas neidisch werden. Chapeau !!! ❤

@organmusic2562 5 ай бұрын

Vielen Dank!

@stefanocorti1970 10 ай бұрын

These videos at the organ at Christ Church Cathedral are the best you can find!!! What about a complete concert in 4K? 😊

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

It's a good idea! Must definitely consider it!

@AntonioReyesJr 3 ай бұрын

Dr. Robert Schuller would be proud. #HourofPower #CrystalCathedral #WidorToccata

@stevehunter6849 9 ай бұрын

Please Paul, tell us at Immaculate Conception when you will visit.

@carinatiotuico6453 7 ай бұрын

The very best Organist in the world Dr.Paul Jacobs the only one who won a Grammy award in the organ history. Congratulations and all my best wishes!

@MrSebby125 5 ай бұрын

Absolutely in awe of your performance! Truth be told Dr. Jacobs, I haven't heard your name before, and having watched this video, I feel as though I've been living under a rock!! I happened to find it as I was looking at the concert schedule for Coral Ridge Pres. Church in Fort Lauderdale FL and saw that you are doing the Organ Rededication concert! So I figured I better look you up and I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised! I'm a huge fan of Diane Bish, I've been watching her videos and television program for years and have heard her play this many times. This performance of Widor's Toccata is hands down one of the best up there with Diane and Virgil Fox (in my opinion of course). I can't wait to see you post more videos here and I certainly can't wait to see you in concert at Coral Ridge! That concert will actually be my first time ever hearing that organ in person so I'm very much looking forward to see you perform on that amazing instrument!

@organmusic2562 5 ай бұрын

Thank you for your words, and delighted you're planning to attend the upcoming organ rededication!

@MrSebby125 5 ай бұрын

Thank you for such an amazing performance this evening at Coral Ridge! It is a day I’ll never forget! And thank you for ending with the Widor Toccata!! Great Surprise! Thank you again! - Sebastian

@organmusic2562 5 ай бұрын

It was my pleasure to re-dedicate the splendid "Sister" Ruffatti at Coral Ridge. Thank you for being a part of the momentous occasion!@@MrSebby125

@jdkoozer 10 ай бұрын

I have You here on KZfaq from Playing the former unrestored Hazel Wright organ back when Dr Robert Schuler was there so Long ago. What are Your Thoughts on How the Restored Organ is Now in Voice?

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

The Hazel Wright Organ has never sounded better, happily! And the acoustics are noticeably richer since the renovation.

@noahpierson4810 6 ай бұрын

Paul, are there any plans to release the full video recording you did of the Bach Cantata 29 that was used as sort of a backing track to another video where you spoke about Hazel's restoration and how shes at her "high point" ? I FREQUENTLY go back and listen to the rather legendary video of you playing this same piece, for thw Hour of Power, with Bob Schuller seinor, and in Hazels former incarnation. It would be AMAZING to be able to listen to both videos in their entirety, to compare the 2 different Hazels, side by side.

@organmusic2562 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the excellent idea--will have to explore the possibility!

@user-xb3tl9uw2j 3 ай бұрын

A minor prelude and fugue BWV 543 pls!!!

@mendax1773 10 ай бұрын

Bravo! Not quite as fast as Virgil Fox's direct-to-disk LP and early digital recordings on the same organ in 1977, recorded before it was expanded and moved into the newly built Crystal Cathedral, but it's quite fast nevertheless, and that is the way it should be! Widor may have been the composer but his 1932 recording of it is way too slow. It's far more exciting a piece when played at warp speed. And flawless! I heard no mistakes, whereas Fox made rather noticeable mistakes in his direct-to-disk LP and early digital recordings. (They were different takes because there are different mistakes and neither take could be edited to fix them.) However, the recording I like most of Widor's Toccata is very unusual and one you're likely not going to find anywhere. It's off a cassette I bought at the long-gone Springdale Music Palace pizza parlor outside of Cincinnati, Ohio probably in the summer of 1986. It served expensive, only so-so pizza but it had a huge Wurlitzer theater organ (I think the largest) that more than made up the difference. That cassette has a performance of Widor's Toccata by the late Dave Weingartner on that organ that clocks in at 4:36, just a bit slower than Fox's performance. What most unusual about it is that the transition, which usually gets softer, doesn't but instead uses stops that make the organ sound more like a calliope. I did a quick search and Discogs has an LP containing what's on my cassette and you can buy it if you have a spare $45 laying around.

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

@edwardwilliamson1863 10 ай бұрын

I think it was 1933, but nevertheless, he was almost 90 when he had that recorded. Also, recording equipment and technology was still in its infancy, so the audio quality was very much subpar by today's standards. Yes, it was slow, but it was masterfully articulated and accurate. Also, the organ at St. Sulpice was, and still is,mechanical action, and though it did have the innovative Barker-lever system to help lighten the action, the action was -- and is today -- heavy, particularly with any of the manuals coupled together. For an almost-90-year-old man to perform on that organ was actually quite amazing. He had to draw on not only his prodigious talent, but his years of experience in order to perform that signature piece at his age. He used color and masterful registration, articulation and phrasing to pull that off I am sure.

@organchoirman9698 10 ай бұрын

Much faster than Widor taught his students whom I studied under.

@edwardwilliamson1863 10 ай бұрын

It is a perfect tempo. I think the slower pace makes it ponderous. Virgil Fox played it even faster, as does Diane Bish. This is perfect. Dr. Paul Jacobs is also a master of registration so all of the lines are so clean and distinct. He plays everything by memory. One of the world's greatest organists for sure.

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

Yes, there's more than one 'correct' way to interpret a piece of music.@@edwardwilliamson1863

@edwardwilliamson1863 10 ай бұрын

@@organmusic2562 I agree.

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for your open-mindedness.@@garynilsson416

@edwardwilliamson1863 10 ай бұрын

Dr. Jacob's, I would enjoy hearing your interpretation of BMV 552. Do you have a recording of it on KZfaq? I live in Orange County, California. I have heard you in recital at the Segerstrom Center.

@C.V.Bordeaux 3 күн бұрын

Too fast of a tempo🫤

@raymondbeecroft4209 5 ай бұрын

Beautiful playing. The tempo is a bit rushed . Many organist do this. However he plays MIT feeling. Just slow a bit. This not a race. B

@user-fo2tz7wi1g 10 ай бұрын

Tempo beaucoup trop rapide ! Ce n'est pas le mouvement demandé par Widor.

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

We forgive Widor as he recorded his Toccata when he was in his late 80s. More importantly: not everyone needs to clone his own performance for it to be legitimate, as you rightly observe! @@garynilsson416

@edwardwilliamson1863 10 ай бұрын

@@organmusic2562 This! Sorry, I didn't see this response when I made my response up above earlier this morning. Also, the fact that he did that on that wonderful Cavaille-Coll, which was--and is--mechanical action--which I hear can be rather heavy, particularly with coupling--I find to be rather amazing, particularly in light of the fact that he was nearly 90 years old.

@organmusic2562 10 ай бұрын

That's for sure!@@edwardwilliamson1863