Joan Lippincott
Encyclopedia
Joan Lippincott is an American concert organist
and former head of the organ department at Westminster Choir College
. She was born Joan Edna Hult on December 25, 1935, the daughter of Edna and Frank Hult, in Kearny, N.J. Her early keyboard studies were with William Jancovius of Nutley, N. J. After attending Kearny High School, she entered Westminster Choir College in Princeton N.J. At Westminster she studied with the renowned Alexander McCurdy. Upon graduation from Westminster Choir College she gained entrance to The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where she was again the student of Alexander McCurdy. Following her graduation from The Curtis Institute she returned to Westminster Choir College to earn her Masters Degree. At the same time she was engaged by Dr. McCurdy to join the keyboard faculty at Westminster.
On June 18, 1960 she married Curtis Lippincott in Bristol Chapel on the campus of Westminster Choir College. At the age of thirty-one, she became the head of the Organ Department at Westminster Choir College. In 1993 she accepted a position as the Chapel Organist at Princeton University while retaining her position at Westminster. Soon after she realized that the demands of the Princeton Chapel position made it impossible for her to remain the Head of the Westminster Organ Department. From 1993 until 2000, she served organist for Princeton University Chapel, playing services and accompanying Penna Rose;s Chapel Choir as well as presenting frequent organ recitals at the Chapel. In 2000, Ms. Lippincott retired from the position as Princeton Chapel Organist to pursue her recital career. She and her husband Curtis retired to Wellfleet, MA in 2008, where they had maintained a summer home for several years.
Ms Lippincott joined the Lilian Murtagh Concert Management in 1967. Karen McFarlane took over the management following Lilian’s death in 1976 and was President from 1976-2000; John McElliott succeeded her. Ms Lippincott has played over 500 concerts in over 40 years as one of the Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc. organists.
Joan has been acclaimed as one of America’s outstanding organ virtuosos and she performs extensively in the United States and has toured throughout Europe and Canada. She has been a featured recitalist at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, at the Spoleto USA Festival, at The American Bach Society Biennial, at the Dublin (Ireland) International Organ Festival, and at conventions of The American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Music Teachers National Association. She has performed on many of the most prominent organs in churches and universities throughout the United States, including Yale, Harvard, Duke, Stanford, Columbia, Notre Dame, and Princeton. She has traveled widely in Europe, studying, playing, and performing in recital on historic and contemporary organs in Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and France.
Dr. Lippincott has been especially in demand for Bach recitals and classes. She was recitalist at the Alice Tully Hall Bach-Handel Tercentennial and she has performed at Bach Festivals in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts (Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood), Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and South Carolina. In 2001-2002 she performed a highly acclaimed series of eight Bach organ concerts on outstanding organs throughout New York City, called ‘Bach in the Big Apple’. In 2008-2009 she performed The Art of Fugue at the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival, at Westminster’s Bach Week at Princeton Seminary, and at the Boston Early Music Festival.
Throughout her recital career, Ms Lippincott has also been recognized for her outstanding flair for the contemporary. She has premiered many significant contemporary organ works, as well as regularly including 20th century literature on her recital programs. She has been heard in recital broadcasts of contemporary American music, such as ABC’s Pilgrimage series and The Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia’s presentation of contemporary American music. She played the American premiere of Malcolm Williamson’s Organ Symphony at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC; the American premiere of Iain Hamilton’s Paraphrase for Organ on Epitaph for This World and Time at the Riverside Church, New York City; and first performances of commissioned works: Epiphanies by Daniel Pinkham at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, MN; Masques d’Afrique for Organ, Trumpet and Percussion by C. Curtis-Smith at the Air Force Academy, CO at a national convention of The American Guild of Organists; and The Salutation of Gabriel for Organ and Horn by Daniel Pinkham at the Peabody Conservatory at a celebration honoring Karen McFarlane. In 1952 Ainslee Cox, composed Prelude for Organ which he dedicated to her.
Her repertoire is vast and includes performances of works for organ and orchestra such as the Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani; Saint-Saens Organ Symphony; Barber Toccata Festiva; Jongen Symphonie Concertante; Dupré Poème Héoique; Widor Salvum Fac Populum Tuum; Lockwood Concerto for Organ and Brass; Handel Concertos; Mozart Church Sonatas; and Bach Sinfonias.
She has released nineteen CD recordings as well as six long playing vinyl. 2010 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Joan Lippincott’s first recording on the Gothic label. Her first recording, released in 1980, was Toccatas and Fugues of J.S.Bach on the new Fisk organ at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her discography includes works of Bach, Duruflé, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Widor, Alain, and Pinkham on major American organs.
She is famous for her teachings of rhythm and touch in organ music, particularly that of Bach
. Her playing is distinguished by rhythmic intensity, a supple technical control, and emotional intensity.
PGM:
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and former head of the organ department at Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College is a residential college of music, part of Rider University, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States.Westminster Choir College educates men and women at the undergraduate and graduate levels for musical careers in music education, voice performance, piano...
. She was born Joan Edna Hult on December 25, 1935, the daughter of Edna and Frank Hult, in Kearny, N.J. Her early keyboard studies were with William Jancovius of Nutley, N. J. After attending Kearny High School, she entered Westminster Choir College in Princeton N.J. At Westminster she studied with the renowned Alexander McCurdy. Upon graduation from Westminster Choir College she gained entrance to The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where she was again the student of Alexander McCurdy. Following her graduation from The Curtis Institute she returned to Westminster Choir College to earn her Masters Degree. At the same time she was engaged by Dr. McCurdy to join the keyboard faculty at Westminster.
On June 18, 1960 she married Curtis Lippincott in Bristol Chapel on the campus of Westminster Choir College. At the age of thirty-one, she became the head of the Organ Department at Westminster Choir College. In 1993 she accepted a position as the Chapel Organist at Princeton University while retaining her position at Westminster. Soon after she realized that the demands of the Princeton Chapel position made it impossible for her to remain the Head of the Westminster Organ Department. From 1993 until 2000, she served organist for Princeton University Chapel, playing services and accompanying Penna Rose;s Chapel Choir as well as presenting frequent organ recitals at the Chapel. In 2000, Ms. Lippincott retired from the position as Princeton Chapel Organist to pursue her recital career. She and her husband Curtis retired to Wellfleet, MA in 2008, where they had maintained a summer home for several years.
Ms Lippincott joined the Lilian Murtagh Concert Management in 1967. Karen McFarlane took over the management following Lilian’s death in 1976 and was President from 1976-2000; John McElliott succeeded her. Ms Lippincott has played over 500 concerts in over 40 years as one of the Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc. organists.
Joan has been acclaimed as one of America’s outstanding organ virtuosos and she performs extensively in the United States and has toured throughout Europe and Canada. She has been a featured recitalist at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, at the Spoleto USA Festival, at The American Bach Society Biennial, at the Dublin (Ireland) International Organ Festival, and at conventions of The American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Music Teachers National Association. She has performed on many of the most prominent organs in churches and universities throughout the United States, including Yale, Harvard, Duke, Stanford, Columbia, Notre Dame, and Princeton. She has traveled widely in Europe, studying, playing, and performing in recital on historic and contemporary organs in Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and France.
Dr. Lippincott has been especially in demand for Bach recitals and classes. She was recitalist at the Alice Tully Hall Bach-Handel Tercentennial and she has performed at Bach Festivals in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts (Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood), Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and South Carolina. In 2001-2002 she performed a highly acclaimed series of eight Bach organ concerts on outstanding organs throughout New York City, called ‘Bach in the Big Apple’. In 2008-2009 she performed The Art of Fugue at the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival, at Westminster’s Bach Week at Princeton Seminary, and at the Boston Early Music Festival.
Throughout her recital career, Ms Lippincott has also been recognized for her outstanding flair for the contemporary. She has premiered many significant contemporary organ works, as well as regularly including 20th century literature on her recital programs. She has been heard in recital broadcasts of contemporary American music, such as ABC’s Pilgrimage series and The Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia’s presentation of contemporary American music. She played the American premiere of Malcolm Williamson’s Organ Symphony at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC; the American premiere of Iain Hamilton’s Paraphrase for Organ on Epitaph for This World and Time at the Riverside Church, New York City; and first performances of commissioned works: Epiphanies by Daniel Pinkham at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, MN; Masques d’Afrique for Organ, Trumpet and Percussion by C. Curtis-Smith at the Air Force Academy, CO at a national convention of The American Guild of Organists; and The Salutation of Gabriel for Organ and Horn by Daniel Pinkham at the Peabody Conservatory at a celebration honoring Karen McFarlane. In 1952 Ainslee Cox, composed Prelude for Organ which he dedicated to her.
Her repertoire is vast and includes performances of works for organ and orchestra such as the Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani; Saint-Saens Organ Symphony; Barber Toccata Festiva; Jongen Symphonie Concertante; Dupré Poème Héoique; Widor Salvum Fac Populum Tuum; Lockwood Concerto for Organ and Brass; Handel Concertos; Mozart Church Sonatas; and Bach Sinfonias.
She has released nineteen CD recordings as well as six long playing vinyl. 2010 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Joan Lippincott’s first recording on the Gothic label. Her first recording, released in 1980, was Toccatas and Fugues of J.S.Bach on the new Fisk organ at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her discography includes works of Bach, Duruflé, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Widor, Alain, and Pinkham on major American organs.
She is famous for her teachings of rhythm and touch in organ music, particularly that of Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
. Her playing is distinguished by rhythmic intensity, a supple technical control, and emotional intensity.
Discography
Gothic:- J.S. Bach: Clavierübung III and Schübler ChoralesSchübler ChoralesSchübler Chorales is a name usually given to the Sechs Chorale von verschiedener Art for organ , a collection of six chorale preludes by Johann Sebastian Bach, issued around 1748. The title 'Schübler Chorales' derives from the engraver and publisher Johann Georg Schübler, who is named on the title...
. Princeton Theological Seminary. - J.S. Bach: Preludes and Fugues. Pacific Lutheran University.
- Sinfonia. Organ Concertos and Sinfonias with instrumental ensemble. Princeton Theological Seminary.
- Bach: The Trio Sonatas. St. Thomas Church, New York City.
- Leipzig Chorales of J.S. Bach. Duke University.
- Toccata and Fugues by Bach. Duke University.
- Princeton University Chapel. Music of Mendelssohn, Duruflé, Howells, Widor.
- Joan Lippincott & The Philadelphia Brass. Princeton University Chapel
- Mozart and the Organ. Old West Church, Boston, MA.
- Music for a Cathedral. The Cathedral Church of St. John The Divine, New York, NY.
PGM:
- The Uncommon Bach – Variants, Rarities and Transcriptions. With George Ritchie. Recorded in conjunction with The American Bach Society.
External links
- Official website at Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc.