Atlanta’s mainline churches clustered along Peachtree Street in the early 20th century were home to the city’s affluent class, who blessed several of them with the classical instrument of sacred music, expensive hand-built organs.
During those years, the Fox Theatre’s giant Möller organ was also built for players to create soundtracks for silent movies whose moments could stretch from comedy to wall-shuddering battle scenes. More recently, Clayton State University built a 4,413-pipe organ with the leadership and help of philanthropists Emilie and Walter B. Spivey in the 400-seat Spivey Hall concert venue.
The legacy of organs leaves Atlanta with first-class venues that attract some top-notch organists, and the fall recital season is about to open.
Jean-Baptiste Robin, a professor of organ and the organist at the Royal Chapel of the palace at Versailles, France, will open the season at All Saints’ Episcopal Church. The season stretches into November, just before the holiday concerts begin, with nationally lauded organist Paul Jacobs performing at Spivey Hall. The season that began with a French organist ends also on the French theme with Jacobs’ recital, “Music of Paris.”
Here is a list of organ recital highlights in the region:
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
634 W. Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-881-0835, http://allsaintsatlanta.org/music/concert-series/.
7:30 p.m. Oct. 15. $10 for students and seniors, $15 for adults. Jean-Baptiste Robin from the Royal Chapel at Versailles.
Cathedral of Saint Philip
2744 Peachtree Road N.W., Atlanta. 404-365-1000, www.stphilipscathedral.org/default.asp.
3:15 p.m. Oct. 13. Free. Louis L. Perazza of Christ Church in Villanova, Pa., performs.
3:15 p.m. Oct. 20. Shannon Gallier of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Jacksonville, Fla.
3:15 p.m. Oct. 27. J. Franklin Clark of Atlanta.
Emory University
At various locations. http://arts.emory.edu.
8 p.m. Nov. 13. Free. Glenn Auditorium at Emory University, 1652 N. Decatur Road, Atlanta. Maurice Clerc, organist at Dijon Cathedral in France, performs.
8 p.m. Oct. 27. Free. The children-oriented “Scary Ride” features Count Dracula and his minions, thunder, lightning, fog, gargoyles and tombstones. Costumes welcome and candy reception in the front lobby. Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, 1700 N. Decatur Road, Atlanta.
Peachtree Road United Methodist Church
3180 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-266-2373, www.prumc.org/.
7:30 p.m. Nov. 19. Free, suggested donation $10. Erik William Suter, who served as the organist at Washington National Cathedral from 1998 to 2007, will perform.
Spivey Hall
On Simpson Drive at Clayton State University, Morrow. 678-466-4200, www.spiveyhall.org.
3 p.m. Nov. 2. $40. Paul Jacobs, who won a Grammy Award in 2011 for his recording of “Livre du Saint-Sacrement” and has won praise nationally, will play.
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