SF Symphony presents an organ recital featuring Ken Cowan
2014-11-16
Davies Symphony Hall
201 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA
3:00 PM, Sunday, November 16, 2014

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[2:59 PM lights down, announcements]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Fantasia in F minor, K.608, for mechanical organ. Arranged by Alfred Glaus (1853-1919) for organ (1885)

1. [3:01 PM] Prelude: Allegro
2. [3:04 PM] Andante
3. [3:08 PM] Allegro
   [work ends 3:12 PM]

Robert Schumann (1819-1896): Two Canons from 6 Studies in Canon Form for Pedal Piano, Op.56 (1845)

1. [3:13 PM] Canon No. 4 in A♭ major: Innig
2. [3:16 PM] Canon No. 5 in B minor: Nicht zu schnell
   [work ends 3:19 PM]

Louis Vierne (1870-1937): Feux follets (Will-o'-the-wisp), Opus 53, no.4

1. [3:20 PM] (opus)
   [work ends 3:24 PM]

Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S.514 (1862), arranged by Ken Cowan

1. [3:25 PM] Der Tanz in der Dorfshenke (The Dance in the Village Inn)
   [set ends 3:37 PM]

[3:56 PM lights down, announcements]

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903, as arranged for organ by Max Reger (1873-1916), (1902)

1. [3:57 PM] Fantasia
2. [4:03 PM] Fugue
   [work ends 4:09 PM]

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921): Danse macabre, Opus 40 (1874), arranged by Ken Cowan

1. [4:10 PM] (opus)
   [work ends 4:18 PM]

Max Reger (1873-1916): Fantasy on the Chorale “Hallelujah! Gott Zu Loben, Bleibe Meine Seelenfreud,” Op. 52, No. 3 (1900)

1. [4:19 PM] (opus)
   [set ends 4:33 PM]  
   Encore

George Thalben-Ball (1896-1987): Variations on a Theme by Paganini for organ pedals

1. [4:35 PM] (opus)
   [show ends 4:40 PM]

• Ken Cowan: organ.

A good first set. Not too long. Good variety of shorter pieces to keep the mind from wandering off too much. Now that the weather is colder, I seem to feel more squished in by thick coats of my adjacent seat-mates. Makes for a slightly uncomfortable experience. That plus a squirmy kid in the row ahead of me made for some slight distraction, but it could have been worse, so I'll stop grousing.

Second set was also pretty good. Opening with Bach was smart – hard to go wrong there! And the plenitude of Bach works to choose from means I'll almost always have a decent chance at hearing something fresh. The middle piece – Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre falls into the workhorse category. Cowan's arrangement was good – far less bombastic than others I've heard over the years – but the piece is still overplayed in my estimation. I was unfamiliar with the closing arrangement by Reger of another Bach piece – a good example of the richness of choice I mentioned earlier. I like hearing this one, though it didn't necessarily ring my bell. Not enough multi-part counterpoint for my taste. For the encore, Cowan announced a piece by Ball, Variations on a theme by Paganini for organ pedals, that served as a virtuoso vehicle for showcasing Cowan's prodigious command of two-footed pedal technique. I don't recall ever hearing anyone play pedals with such facility and grace – it was almost a disappointment when he added his hands for the final minute or two! As a relevant aside, there is a decent version of Diane Bish performing this piece on YouTube that does a very good job of showing her pedal work.

The symphony had posted signs that Cowan would be available to autograph CDs in the lobby after the show, but checking the store before the gig started, the three discs available were limited to Christmas works where Cowan played in the company of a chorus and/or orchestra. Might have been fine things to hear, but not really very high up on my interest list, so I skipped out and headed for BART as soon as the show ended.

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2014 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2014 event list! ☸ On to the next event!