Born in
Saverne, Jacob started playing the organ at a young age. He was only thirteen when he replaced the organist from
Saessolsheim, who had fallen ill.[1] He studied the organ with Sylvain Ciaravolo and André Stricker in
Strasbourg and with
Jean Boyer in
Lyon. He studied the harpsichord with
Aline Zylberajch in Strasbourg and with
Jan-Willem Jansen in
Toulouse, as well as
basso continuo with Martin Gester in Strasbourg and with Jesper Christensen in
Basel.
Jacob has taught organ and harpsichord at the Conservatoire de
Perpignan, the Conservatoire de Toulouse and the Conservatoire de
Montauban. Since 2001 he has been an organ and basso continuo teacher at the
Conservatoire de Strasbourg.
He performs as soloist on organ and harpsichord, and in the chamber and orchestral music, particularly with the
Ricercar Consort, the Concert Royal, Gli Angeli, and other ensembles.
He is very interested in organ building, which he practises with Bernard Aubertin in
Courtefontaine.
He is still the organist of Saessolsheim, where he succeeded, with the help of the Saessolsheim Organ Friends’ Association, in enriching the church with a new Aubertin organ, which energised the cultural life of the village.[2]
Selected discography
As soloist
All CDs in this section were recorded on Aubertin organs.
Association of Friends of the Organ of
Clairvaux-les-Lacs (works by ten composers from the 15th to the 19th century); with Guy Ferber, baroque trumpet.[4] 2012.
He has recorded CDs with Le Parlement de Musique and the
Ricercar Consort, among others. On some of the first ten CDs mentioned below, which he recorded with the Ricercar Consort under the direction of
Philippe Pierlot, he also plays works by J.S. Bach as organ soloist.
Samuel Capricornus (1628-1665): Theatrum Musicum — and works by Couperin and
Montéclair — with Le Parlement de Musique (Martin Gester). 1993. Opus 111. OPS 30-99.
"
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault: La Muse de l'Opéra", with Le Parlement de Musique (Martin Gester). 1999. Assai. Qobuz.
Henry Du Mont: "Grands Motets", with the Namur Chamber Choir. 2003. Ricercar RIC202.
"
Giovanni Legrenzi: Dies Irae – Sonata a quattro viole – Motetti". 2004. Ricercar RIC 236.
^These biographical data are largely based on Organa 2013, the programme of the 38th Festival d'Orgue at
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, published by the Association des Amis de l'Orgue de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.