Paul Jacobs

“Sublimity can be terrifying.”

Paul Jacobs is known for his unusual “firsts”: He landed an official church appointment at the age of 15, won a Grammy for organ, and played the complete works of Bach in an 18-hour marathon concert. In this thoughtful and thought-provoking conversation, Paul Jacobs discusses a wide range of topics. Why do miracles happen only when you’re alone with yourself and the music? Why play organ music in today's existential vacuum? How do you find an individual voice on the most complex and variable of instruments? And what does it take to memorize an invisible matrix of pistons, stop pulling etc. and all the notes of six-part counterpoint Bach?

Running time: 33 minutes

Posted on July 21, 2019 .