1984 Ruffatti organ at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, California

This week we’re taking a walk on the darker side with some spooky and surprising evocations of things that go ‘bump in the night’, music for Hallowe’en.

The passionate and powerful Sixth Organ Symphony by Charles-Marie Widor in two versions, for organ solo and with orchestra. Widor’s arrangement of the outer movements of his popular Sixth Organ Symphony [solo] was his first major essay for organ and orchestra. He went on to create two additional, totally original organ and orchestra compositions later in life. It was prepared for a London concert in 1882, later played by Charles Courboin in Antwerp in 1900, and presented again by Courboin, with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Stokowski, at the Wanamaker Store in 1919. The Bowden/McKinley performance in Indiana was only the second American outing for this score since that Philadelphia premiere.

Popular and unflappable church musician John Walker shares insights on his world and an extraordinary modern concerto that he champions.

…a time for celebration, reflection, and projection of new expectations for the new season ahead.

…a spring survey of some recent CD releases from American producers in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

…the good feeling generated by these diverse and creative works of American composers.

…A quarterly sampling of recent organ discs, with emphasis on the unusually attractive and the unusual. Our choices are wide-ranging, covering a variety of musical styles, performers and instruments. Domestic and imported LPs and CDs will be aired.

…An introduction to the 1984 National Biennial Convention of the American Guild of Organists, featuring digital tapes of concerts and recitals performed in and around San Francisco.

…A selective quarterly sampling of recent organ recordings, with emphasis on the unusual and the unusually attractive. This potpourri covers a wide variety of musical types, performance styles, and organ-building attitudes, as displayed on LP's and CD's of foreign and domestic vintage. Host Michael Barone provides revealing commentary.

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