The job of church organist holds great potential for a soul-rewarding existence, should all the right pieces fall into place.
One of those lucky, charmed people was American Gerre Hancock, who died yesterday, exactly one month shy of his 78th birthday.
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
As organist and choirmaster for three decades at New York City’s St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, Hancock was expected to teach choirs and plan and execute all the music at one of the flagship Episcopal (Anglican) churches in the United States.
In this tradition, the organist is also composer and improviser, making him (or her) one of the rare ‘classical’ music professionals to have to do all things at once — interpret, teach, create, administrate and make it all up on the fly.
In a collegial atmosphere, this is a recipe for one of the richest professional experiences imaginable — one that translates into weekly inspiration for those people lucky enough to be able to partake in the experience, in some way.
Hancock also toured in concert and lectured extensively, spreading the gospel of all things organ.
Hancock was a mentor and role model to many a budding organist (who usually had to study his book on the art of improvising).
Hancock was the sort of artist who might rock a child’s world. The youngster would turn to a mirror or to Mom and Dad, and say, that’s what I want to do when I grow up.
Hancock enjoyed an extra blessing in his personal life: He is survived by wife Judith, who shared the same passion for the organ. They would prefquently perform together.
Here is Hancock in full flight, in The Savior’s Triumph, one of a series of improvisations inspired by the incredible modernist stained glass windows at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hartford, Conn:
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
