Organist Paul Jacobs on Bach and the Pipe Organ

Video: Kim Nowacki
Interview: Jeff Spurgeon

© WQXR | 2013

[mattbod]

Always nice to see Paul “ Harry Potter” Jacobs play. One of my favourite players.

[kidblack]

Hey Paul! It's Adam Krisiak from the Philly POE. How have you been? I do believe that the comment about Bach is very accurate. And I was very lucky to have learned on an organ that closely replicates the organ Bach had. If you are ever in the Scranton, Pa area I believe you would be pleased to see and play the organ at St. Peters Cathedral.

[pauljtonehead]

I am Paul Jacobs too! I play organs and collect them as well. My favorite is the Wurlitzer 1964 model 4500 ( see John La Duca Wurlitzer 4500/4502/4300 ). It was Wurlitzer's first fully transistor organ and was also their first electronic theater organ- or ETO. Another favorite of mine is the Wurlitzer electrostatic reed organ. I have a 1946 series 31 & it's 310 vibrato cabinet- an excellent organ for imitating the classical pipe organ due to the slow onset of the keyed reeds. Google- NSHOS Organ

[cresta]

Dear Mr Jacobs...I wonder about the time you played all Bach in one day and on top of that..by heart...if Im not mistaking...So..did you record that..is it available somewhere?..

[pauljtonehead]

cont. 2
...but here are two examples of excellent traditional/classical organ playing on organs that use Leslie rotary speakers-
Organ Moods John Winters at the Mighty Wurlitzer Side 1 complete & side 2( John plays a Wurlitzer electrostatic reed organ [see the NSHOS WUrlitzer 4600])
Also see Paul Mickelson- Conn Classic. Paul is playing a vacuum tube Conn 'Classic' (mod# 800 to 825).
Morelocks Wurlitzer Parts in Mississippi is owned/operated by former Wurlitzer employees. Awesome people & low$!

[pauljtonehead]

Maggie you really should take up organ, they are very cheap on craigslist and sometimes can be gotten for free. If you already can read music and play piano it will come very easily. The best models to seek out are Hammond, Wurlitzer, Conn, and Gulbransen, but there are others as well. You can play every style on a Wurlitzer. With Hammond you can play every style as well, but the organ will always have a Hammond flavor. I have owned, played, and repaired about every brand. I recommend...cont.

[MrMartmatsil]

I am a real avid fan of the pipe organ.It is like having a complete symphony orchestra, in your hands, a gift from our Heavenly Father.Make glorious noise to Hashem.our King.

[santhemooncrystal]

I always wanted to play organ, but never really got the chance. I feel like I could learn, as I already play piano.

[pianonokami]

It is just one Paul Jacobs who won a Grammy award playing the organ and we all love him very much

[Offshoreorganbuilder]

Then get off your butt and DO it! (We need more organists.)

[car]

A beautiful organ in one of the most visually unappealing Lutheran churches I have ever seen. It is a white-washed sepulchre.