Maxime Jacob

Contents

Maxime Jacob, or Dom Clément Jacob, (13 January 1906 in Bordeaux – 26 February 1977 in En-Calcat Abbey, Dourgne, Tarn) was a French composer and organist.

Biography

Jacob studied at the Paris Conservatory with Charles Koechlin and André Gedalge; an admirer of Darius Milhaud and Erik Satie, he was a member of the École d'Arcueil, a group of young composers sponsored by Satie after his rupture with his previous group of protégés, Les Six. Other members of this short-lived group included Henri Cliquet-Pleyel, Henri Sauguet and Roger Désormière.

In 1927, Jacob worked with Antonin Artaud at the Théâtre Alfred Jarry composing the score for his production of Ventre brûlé; ou La Mère folle (1927).[1]:252

In 1929, Jacob converted from Judaism to Catholicism (influenced by Jacques Maritain) and became a Benedictine monk at En-Calcat Abbey.[2] He would go on to study organ with Maurice Duruflé, as well as Gregorian chant.

Jacob also published two books, L'art et la grâce (1939) and Souvenirs a deux voix (1969).

In the English-speaking world, his hymn tune "Living God" in 77.77 meter with 77.77 refrain, used for I Received the Living God (J'ai reçu le Dieu vivant),[3] is well known.

Works

Vocal

  • Par la Taille (opera, after Alfred Jarry)
  • Le Vitrail de Sainte-Thérèse (oratorio, 1952)
  • Joinville et Saint-Louis (oratorio, after Péguy, 1971)
  • Les psaumes pour tous les temps (1966)
  • ca. 400 stage songs

Orchestral

  • Ouverture (1923)
  • Piano Concerto, 1961

Chamber music

  • 8 string quartets

Miscellaneous

  • Piano pieces for Clément Doucet
  • Livre d'orgue (1967)

References

  1. 1.Jannarone, Kimberly (2005). "The Theatre before Its Double: Artaud Directs in the Alfred Jarry Theatre". Theatre Survey. 46 (2): 247–273. doi:10.1017/S0040557405000153. ISSN 0040-5574. S2CID 194096618.
  2. 2.Gollin, James (2001). Pied Piper: The Many Lives of Noah Greenberg. Pendragon Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-57647-029-9. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  3. 3.Musica Sacra Forum http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/4940/vatican-ii-hymnal-installment-5-hymn-selections-completed-/p2 (copyright for hymn held by Éditions du Seuil)—Hymnary.org and Soundclick.com, among others, have listed the hymn as "Anonymous."