James McVinnie: Patterns

The organ at Symphony Hall has been a source of pride and purpose from the very beginning. To celebrate Symphony Hall 125, the boundless UK-based organist James McVinnie has crafted a program with selections from Season 1 organ recital programs — timeless works by Bach, Schumann, Wagner and Franck — complemented by new music from iconic American composers Meredith Monk, Philip Glass, Julia Wolfe, Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, and a world premiere by inti figgis-vizueta.

“McVinnie’s performances are — musically, technically and in his careful colorations — immaculate.” — Los Angeles Times

“[McVinnie] challenges us — with extraordinary results — to think of the pipe organ as an instrument of our time.” — National Public Radio 

Meredith MONK Ellis Island 
Julia WOLFE Earring 
Sufjan STEVENS The Year of Our Lord
inti FIGGIS-VIZUETA new work (world premiere, BSO commission)
Nico MUHLY Palindromes & Very Fast Music from Patterns
Philip GLASS Dance 4
-Intermission-
J.S. BACH Toccata in F, BWV 540i ◇
SCHUMANN selections from Six Canonic Studies Op. 56
 i Nicht zu schnell
 ii Innig
 iii Nicht zu schnell ◇
 iv Adagio
WAGNER Prelude to Parsifal (transc. Lemare) ❊ 
FRANCK Chorale No. 1 in E ✢

◇ played by J Wallace Goodrich on March 21 1900
❊ played by Edwin Lemare on October 29 1901
✢ played by J Wallace Goodrich on March 28 1901