Jump to content

The Hermetic Organ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hermetic Organ
Live album by
ReleasedJune 19, 2012
RecordedDecember 9, 2011
VenueSt. Paul's Chapel, Columbia University, New York City
GenreImprovised music
Length36:25
LabelTzadik TZ 7399
ProducerJohn Zorn
John Zorn chronology
Templars: In Sacred Blood
(2012)
The Hermetic Organ
(2012)
Rimbaud
(2012)

The Hermetic Organ is an album by John Zorn, consisting of a single live improvisation on the Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ of St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University, which was released on Tzadik Records in June 2012.[1][2] The performance was held at 11 PM on the evening of December 9, 2011,[2] which Zorn has noted was a full moon,[3] as an encore to a "Composer Portrait" ensemble performance of his works held earlier that night at the Miller Theatre.[2] It is the first release by Zorn to exclusively document his solo improvisations on the organ, his first instrument.[4] In 2014, Zorn released a second volume of improvisations, The Hermetic Organ Vol. 2.[5]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Free Jazz Collective

Lou Reed, who attended the performance, called it a night of "culmination and conquest", and Zorn himself thought highly of the improvisation, calling it "something special" and "a truly magical event."[3] Phillip Coombs of The Free Jazz Collective stated "This is a type of recording that needs to be savored, played loud and with good headphones... this is a very serious recording, especially with the themes he tackles and the environment he tackles them in. Rarely is Zorn recorded solo lately and this alone makes it special".[6]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Office Nr 4"
1. "Introit"
2. "Benediction"
3. "Offertory"
4. "Elevation"
5. "Communion"
6. "Descent"
36:25

Personnel

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "John Zorn: The Hermetic Organ". Tzadik.com. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Columbia University Events: John Zorn: Solo Organ Concert, accessed November 8, 2013
  3. ^ a b Zorn, John (2012). "2011". The Hermetic Organ: St. Paul's Chapel, NYC (Media notes). John Zorn. Tzadik Records. liner notes.
  4. ^ "John Zorn: The Hermetic Organ At St. Paul's Chapel, NYC". The Hermetic Organ At St. Paul's Chapel, NYC (Media notes). John Zorn. Tzadik Records. 2012. folio.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ "John Zorn : The Hermetic Organ vol. 2—St. Paul's Chapel". Tzadik. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  6. ^ Coombs, P, The Free Jazz Collective Review, Free Jazz Collective, August 24, 2012
[edit]