Missouri Classical Music News

One thing about organ recitals that has always seemed odd, if understandable, is that the organist is rarely seen. These performances take place mostly in churches, where the organ loft is out of sight. The organist may come out for a bow at the start and at the end, and sometimes between pieces, but when the organ sound floods the room there's nothing for a listener to watch.

Now technology, in the form of small cameras and efficient projection systems, has solved this. When Paul Jacobs played a daunting recital at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, on Tuesday evening, his audience was able to see it all, from the graceful sweep of his keyboard technique to the on-the-fly changes of registration and color. No doubt some organ traditionalists will find this horrifying, but for those of us who go to concerts to both see and hear music being made, it is a fantastic innovation.