The Cathedral Of St. John The Divine Celebrates French Organ Music With Performance By David Briggs

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine's Great Music in a Great Space concert series presents a performance by Artist in Residence David Briggs, on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:30pm, preceded by a free pre-concert lecture at 7pm, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street).

The performance kicks off with a veritable 18th century firework from France, in the form of the dazzling Dialogue in C by Louis Marchand, who famously competed against the one and only Johann Sebastian Bach at an interview and withdrew when he found out the stiffness of the competition, taking the next stagecoach back to Paris. This is followed by a Scherzo Symphonique improvisée by the great organist of Notre-Dame, Pierre Cochereau. Originally improvised in concert in 1968, David Briggs has made a transcription of this stunning tour de force, note by note from the original recording. This is followed by David's recent transcription of the Cinq Interludes from Pelléas et Mélisande, some of the most ravishing and sumptuous music to come from the pen of Claude Debussy. The concert comes to a climax with the world premiere of David's transcription of the beautiful Symphony in D minor by César Franck, music guaranteed to evoke the opulence of late nineteenth century Paris. The transcription of the Franck Symphony was commissioned by Byron Nimocks and Emilie Murphy, in honor of Alfred Nimocks' 100th birthday in two years time. This work is one of Alfred's favorite symphonies.

All visitors to the Cathedral are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear a mask for entry. For tickets and more information, visit the Cathedral's website. Students are eligible for one free ticket at the door with a valid ID.

For more details and information on all the Cathedral's programs and services, visit stjohndivine.org.