By Dana Rapisardi
Reporter

RUTHERFORD (Dec. 13, 2007) — Grace Episcopal Church’s popular organist and choirmaster, Dr. Jonathan Hall, will present a recital with musical partner, saxophonist Bill Powers, at the church on Dec. 16 at 3 p.m.

“This is the third annual recital Bill Powers and I have done at the church since I came there,” said Hall, who considers these recitals, which are free to the public, “a gift to the community.”

Hall, a native of Manhattan’s East Side, discovered his musical instrument of choice at a very early age. “The organist in my neighborhood was a brilliant young dynamic musician by the name of Calvin Hampton, and I was just entranced by his playing,” he said. “His command of the organ knocked my socks off. I was about 8 years old.”

A notable American organist and composer, Hampton became the subject of Hall’s dissertation for a doctoral degree from Indiana University in 2001. That dissertation is currently in the last stages of editing for publication as a book, “Calvin  Hampton: A Musician Without Borders,” which Hall says should be available at the beginning of 2008.

Besides his upcoming book, Hall has written numerous articles, of both scholarly nature as well as general interest, that have appeared in various publications. Describing himself as “kind of a busy guy,” along with his duties as organist and choirmaster for Grace Church, Hall also serves as organ consultant for area churches.

“Several churches have called on me to advise them in the fairly complicated process of renovating a historic organ,” said Hall. “I’m also working with a church right now in the city that is redefining its approach to musical leadership, and I’m guiding them through that process.”

The organ is not Hall’s only instrument. “I’m very comfortable with the piano and the harpsichord as well,” he said. “I have a lot of vocal training too, though I don’t sing much these days, except when necessary.”

Hall also writes music, composing anthems for his choir. “Some are based on sacred melodies, some are completely original,” he said.

Hall has performed nationally and internationally. “I dedicated an organ in Moscow, and I’ve played in Siberia, in Singapore,” he said. Canada, Scotland and Germany are other spots on the globe where Hall has played.

In 2006, Hall and Powers premiered a sonata for organ and saxophone that they commissioned from American composer David Hurd, playing the three-movement piece at an international saxophone festival in Slovenia. The two musicians will be performing their organ and saxophone duets in northern Italy in 2008.

“We’re playing in a couple of festivals in the valleys of the Alps,” said Hall. “They have a lot of enthusiasm for music in general there, and they love the organ.”

The Dec. 16 recital at Grace Church will feature this duo of organ and saxophone, which Hall called “a quite interesting combination.”

“The saxophone has a soulful expressiveness, as well as great carrying power,” Hall explained, “and the organ has such a fabulous range of colors and sounds that they play off each other beautifully.”

Of his own church’s instrument, Hall said, “Grace Church has a very good organ, put in in 1983.”  

There exists one problem though. Installation of the organ was left incomplete. “We’re missing some vital pipes to this day,” Hall stated. “I have to play around these absences and gaps every Sunday.”

Hall hopes to raise consciousness at the church about the importance of finishing the installation. “I’d like to make organ recitals more of a feature of our life at the church,” said Hall. “It would help if the whole organ were there. It’s a beautiful setting to hear music. It’s one of the prettiest churches I’ve seen and just an ideal place for an organ recital.”

Citing the “warm and wonderful feedback” he receives from church members, and how loved and supported he feels, Hall concluded his comments on the unfinished state of the organ at Grace Church by declaring, “I say all this lovingly.”

Grace Episcopal Church is located at 128 West Passaic Ave., Rutherford. Admission to the recital is free.