The Hermetic Organ
{{Infobox album
| name = The Hermetic Organ
| type = Live
| artist = John Zorn
| cover = The Hermetic Organ.jpeg
| alt =
| released = June 19, 2012
| recorded = December 9, 2011
| venue = St. Paul's Chapel, Columbia University, New York City
| studio =
| genre = Improvised music
| length = 36:25
| label = Tzadik TZ 7399
| producer = John Zorn
| prev_title = Templars: In Sacred Blood
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = Rimbaud
| next_year = 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7399 |title=John Zorn: The Hermetic Organ |publisher=Tzadik.com |access-date=2 July 2012}}[http://www.columbia.edu/event/john-zorn-solo-organ-concert-54775-0.html Columbia University Events: John Zorn: Solo Organ Concert], accessed November 8, 2013 The performance was held at 11 PM on the evening of December 9, 2011, which Zorn has noted was a full moon,{{cite AV media notes
| title = The Hermetic Organ: St. Paul's Chapel, NYC
| others = John Zorn
| first = John
| last = Zorn
| year = 2012
| chapter = 2011
| author-link = John Zorn
| at = liner notes
| publisher = Tzadik Records
}} as an encore to a "Composer Portrait" ensemble performance of his works held earlier that night at the Miller Theatre. It is the first release by Zorn to exclusively document his solo improvisations on the organ, his first instrument.{{cite AV media notes
| title = The Hermetic Organ At St. Paul's Chapel, NYC
| others = John Zorn
| year = 2012
| chapter = John Zorn: The Hermetic Organ At St. Paul's Chapel, NYC
| at = folio
| publisher = Tzadik Records
}} In 2014, Zorn released a second volume of improvisations, The Hermetic Organ Vol. 2.{{cite web|title=John Zorn : The Hermetic Organ vol. 2—St. Paul's Chapel|url=http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=8312|publisher=Tzadik|access-date=19 February 2014}}
Reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = Free Jazz Collective
| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}
}}
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."
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".Coombs, P, [http://www.freejazzblog.org/2012/08/john-zorn-hermetic-organ-tzadik-2012.html The Free Jazz Collective Review], Free Jazz Collective, August 24, 2012
Track listing
{{Track listing
| title1 = Office Nr 4"
1. "Introit"
2. "Benediction"
3. "Offertory"
4. "Elevation"
5. "Communion"
6. "Descent
| length1 = 36:25
}}
Personnel
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq01J3n1Aho John Zorn speaking prior to the performance]
{{John Zorn}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hermetic Organ}}
Category:John Zorn live albums