Ken Cowan at The Victorian Palace Wurlitzer Pipe Organ

[13421JLUJ]

Just great, this music ! Thx! : )

[firesong75]

Splendid performance - musical interpretation of difficult work and for memory. Bravo!

[bombarde1701]

Was this at the OHS convention there a while back?

[VicFerrer]

Yes. The 2002 OHS Convention (Organ Historical Society) This organ is located at the Sanfilippo Victorian Palace in Barrington Hills, Illinois

[MrBrysonD]

Always love to hear this young man perform!! What a great interpreter! So inspirational to all young organists!

[originaltommy]

Ken is fine player, and a fellow Canadian. I was surprised to find this, to hear Willan on a Wurlitzer. I have played this piece myself many times, but never on a theatre organ! Kudos, Ken!

[recitexpressif]

Quite wonderful indeed! Does anyone know what he's playing? Sounds like some kind of passacaglia...

[edolch]

Healy Willan Introduction, Passacaglia, and Fugue

[54spiritedwill54]

Awesome!

[daithom14]

Just fantastic thanks for posting

[DOLRED]

I believe this is located at the Sanfilippo Grand Palace in Barrington Hills, Illinois---about 40 miles NW of downtown Chicago. The giveaway for me is the cherubs shown on top the organ side frames. This organ is one of the biggest located in the throne room of this museum. See Stars Wars on a Wurlitzer video here to get a better perspective.

[Marshall7302]

you are correct.

[lms264t]

Where is this WurliTzer located?  Five manual WurliTzers are rare, as they only made three.

[skyler6290]

Wonderful ! If this music is not written down I hope that it gets taken down - - too good not to have in print.

[electronicempire]

Superb performance.

Great Great sound.

[ink24571]

is this an original composition?

[menschmaschine5]

No, it's the Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue by Healey Willan. Great piece, though.

[florianchurch]

Most beautiful!. Music & organ.

[acoustics101]

Outstanding!!

[erkhie]

Organ is located at the Sanfilippo Victorian Palace. Barrington Hills. Illinois USA

[kensingtonpalace]

very romantic sound :)

[Karlfalcon]

I seem to remember reading once that this organ is fitted with a midi recording and playback device for archival of performances. Wouldn't it be a treat to visit the collection and get to hear this performance live(-ish)?

[raikaljok]

The Sanfilippo organ uses a Trousdale relay switching system. It is a fully integrated and customized part of the organ. There is no pneumatic parts in the console and hence the organ is free from "clunks" or any other noises.

It is possible to record all the material of a certain album to the organ memory and edit it ready for later audio recording.

I have used this system and it was an uncommon experience to check takes by listening to the organ itself instead of a loud speaker system.

[Karlfalcon]

But I like the clunks...

[raikaljok]

Interested in Trousdale? Google eddington trousdale

[raikaljok]

...or better search: Trousdale by Jelani Eddington

[diaphone32]

I love Ken Cowan for the fact he plays all the cool Aeolian Skinners,skinners and also organs like this. Ken is not a little purist like some organist are.

[JonasClark]

WurliTzer stop changes always go *clunk*, because the tabs, when moved automatically by the combination action, are moved up or down pneumatically. Hence why these consoles always have a cable AND a wind line to them. A stunning replica of the Chicago Paradise Theatre console here, a massive French style complete with cherubs and mirror-backed busts of Tchaikowsky and Franz Liszt.

[ronanmurray]

Awesome!

[musicmachinesuk]

I've heard this Wurlitzer quite a few times on BBC Radio 2 a UK radio station on the programme the Organist Entertains.

[gmcausland]

achhos, it's called light and shade, dear. This is an excellent performance.

[weaponofgod]

Woo! I was looking for some good organing but I didn't think I would find anything this good. What song/s is this magician playing?

[Fozzymaple]

Personally, I think Jelani Edington is a better performer of classical music on the theater organ, and that Ken Cowan is a better Skinner player, but he still does nicely on the Wurlitzer.

[organplayer89]

I've had organ lessons with him!!!

[FrCusus]

Ken Cowan is too cool. I have never heard anybody play like him.

[jamez123123]

should change the pistons abit more clearly so you dont notice it ! the first one was bad big CLUNK noise :P lol

nice big wurlie though

[Bobbbus]

Where is this organ located?

[Fozzymaple]

The organ is located at the Samfilipo Residence (a.k.a. Victorian Palace/Place de la Music) just outside Chicago, in their music room. five manuals, 80 ranks of pipes this organ is enormous, especially for a theater organ, although it is really part theater organ, part symphonic organ.

[Gillyyorkie]

Great Information on this magnificent instrument I just joined Youtube nd asa Theatre Organ fanatic very welcome information . I play myself albeit on an amateur basis but played in public for 18 years but on electronics

[allexi07]

This is brilliant and played excellently. The Pipe Organ (Theatre and Classical) is the worlds loudest and softest instrument with more tonal variations than a symphony orchestra. This is a great example of p, pp, f, ff. Very soft, soft, loud, very loud. Read the sheet music and you will know why it is sometimes soft and other times loud.

[perconductorgan]

Wow!!Prof. Cowan!!You are Superb.

Guys, come and audition at Westminster Choir College, we have really outstanding organinsts teach here. COME!! Welcome !!

[grave4850]

Ken Cowan is a Genius! He can make any organ sound incredible, and a great teacher!

[rakeyjakey]

erm a bit quiet, and then realy loud,  felt like I was at a funeral, but still hes absolutley amazing!

[FrCusus]

I will be taking lessons with Ken Cowan for the next 7 days. I can't wait.

[posaune16]

Further proof that theatre organs really can do anything. Excellent.

[acchos]

other than that its great.

[acchos]

its a bit quiet.