Search - Joan Lippincott :: Organ Recital

Outastanding Peformance on a Great Instrument

12/13/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Joan Lippincott has established herself in the forefront of American organ virtuosi. On this disc you are treated to the combination of her formidable talent at the disposal of some truly great literature peformed on a wonderful instrument. The huge Noel Mander organ of the Princeton University Chapel is the perfect vehicle for works of the English Cathedral and French Symphonic schools. This disc features moving performances of two quite different examples of the English School, the Mendelssohn Sonata No. 3 in A major and the Herbert Howells Rhapsody No. 3. In her approach to the Mendelssohn, Miss Lippincott evokes the grandeur and dignity of the Gothic building in her shaping of the phrases of the first section of the first movement. The organ is well recorded and the sound quality is splendid. The fugal section of the first movement is unwoven with drive and plenty of rhythmic tension which makes the return to the first section material feel very much like a grand coming home. Lippincott avoids the sentimental pitfalls that so often make the second movement seem trivial. Instead, she evokes an intimate, meditative atmosphere from the delicate, predictable harmonies of the charming, smaller movement. The Howells Rhapsody is a rarely heard example of twentieth century British cathedral music. Not unlike Durufle, also featured on this album, Howells's music delves into atmosphere and mysticism while employing a progressive harmonic vocabulary. However, Howells approach is distinctly British and relies on the ethos of the instrument and room for effect rather than relying on chant. His piece calls for a cathedralesque room for acoustic effect and an organ of similar proportion. In this case, Lippincott has both at her disposal and the effect is stunning. The featured Durufle work is a particularly beautiful example of this composer's post-Romantic treatment of chant. Due to its length and difficulty, it is too rarely performed. It would be hard to match this performance or recording. Joan Lippincott manages to capture the improvisatory nature of the opening "Prelude," evocative of the rushing winds of the Spirit and sowing the seeds of the chant theme which is not fully birthed until the third movement. Her approach to the second movement, "Adagio," carries off the build up of tension and registration masterfully. Between her exciting perormance and the quality of the recorded sound of this magnificent instrument, the heavens seem to open before the announcement of the "Chorale." The variations are performed with a sensitivity to the texts which they represent and the overall effect is splendid. The complete Widor Symphony No. 6 rounds out the disc. Lippincott achieves that delicate balance of structure and fantasy which this work demands. There is plenty of brilliance and panache, but there is also an attention to what is realy going on here that puts this performance on another level. You don't have to be an organ "nut" to love this recording."