Organ Recital: Raymond Nagem

Raymond Nagem, Minister of Music at Brick Presbyterian Church in NYC and organ faculty at Manhattan School of Music, presents an exemplary recital featuring the complete organ works of Maurice Duruflé on St. James’s magnificent Rosales/Parsons pipe organ. A Juilliard-trained DMA under Paul Jacobs, with degrees from Yale and Harvard’s prestigious cathedral choir school, Nagem brings scholarly insight and visceral artistry to each note. His tenure at St. John the Divine and acclaim for his “Divine Splendor” album underscore a mastery of French symphonic organ tradition that engages both mind and heart.

Maurice Duruflé’s organ oeuvre, distilled into six concise and deeply meditative works, marries Gregorian chant with impressionistic color and clarity. Spanning the meditative Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d’Alain to the elegant Suite, Op. 5, these pieces demand nuance and tonal sophistication—qualities ideally suited to St. James’s Rosales/Parsons instrument. Designed with bold voicing and responsive expression, the organ’s rich palette allows every harmonic subtlety and chant-like contour to unfold with luminous beauty.

Expect an evening of rare immersion: a continuous recital that honors Duruflé's contemplative spirit, performed with fearless fidelity and expressive warmth. For devotees of organ music and newcomers alike, this is a unique opportunity to experience the full arc of a 20th-century master's vision, shaped by chant, shaped by nature, and voiced through a collaborative synergy between Nagem and this splendid organ. Intended as reflection as much as performance, this recital invites listeners to traverse landscapes of serenity and depth.

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