# San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall, May 9, 2013

[San Francisco Symphony](https://www.sfsymphony.org)  
[Beethoven Project: MTT Leads Beethoven and Adams](http://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2012-13/MTT-leads-Beethoven,-Adams.aspx?)  
2013-05-09  
[Davies Symphony Hall](http://www.sfsymphony.org)  
[201 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=201+Van+Ness,+San+Francisco,+CA&hl=en)  
8:00 PM, Thursday, May 9, 2013

## Set One

### Beethoven: Three Equali for Four Trombones

[8:00 PM announcements, MTT enters]

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Three Equali for Four Trombones (1812), WoO 30

Featuring:

* John Engelkes: bass trombone;
* Tim Higgins: alto trombone;
* [Mark Lawrence](http://www.marco-paulo.com/MHL_bio.html): tenor trombone;
* Paul Welcomer: tenor trombone;

(maybe one of tenors is actually baritone? my recollection is that no two instruments were the same size)

[ends 8:08 PM]

[resume ~8:10 PM]

### Beethoven: An die ferne Geliebte

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): An die ferne Geliebte (1816)  
(6 songs linked by a continuous solo piano part)

Featuring:

* John Churchwell: piano;
* [Michael Fabiano](http://michaelfabianotenor.com/): tenor vox.

[ends 8:24 PM]

[8:33 PM resume]

### John Adams: Absolute Jest

John Adams (b. 1947): Absolute Jest (2010) (San Francisco Symphony Co-Commission)  
[[http://www.sfsymphony.org/Watch-Listen-Learn/Read-Program-Notes/Program-Notes/ADAMS-Absolute-Jest.aspx|SFS Program Notes]]  
Featuring the [St. Lawrence String Quartet](http://slsq.com/)

[set ends 9:04 PM]

## Set Two

[9:25 PM onstage and ready]

### Beethoven: Symphony No. 4

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 4 in B flat, Op. 60 (1806)

1. Adagio - allegro vivace
2. Adagio (in E flat)
3. Allegro vivace
4. Allegro ma non troppo  
[9:m show ends]

## Performers

* John Churchwell: piano;
* [Michael Fabiano](http://michaelfabianotenor.com/): tenor vox;
* [St. Lawrence String Quartet](http://slsq.com/);
* Michael Tilson Thomas: conductor;
* members of the San Francisco Symphony, TBD

## Notes

Another fun night at the symphony!

The show began with a mere trifle, a sort of musical //amuse-bouche// from Beethoven, then continued with another appetizer, Beethoven’s song cycle [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_die_ferne_Geliebte|An die ferne Geliebte (To the Distant Beloved)]].

John Adams’ Absolute Jest was originally commissioned to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the San Francisco Symphony in 2011; tonight, a newly reworked version served as a fun way to end the first half of the program.

The evening closed with a powerful rendition of Beethoven’s 4th Symphony -- another sunny and cheerful piece, and an appropriate way to end the night.

[SFS Program Notes for tonight’s Beethoven works](http://www.sfsymphony.org/Watch-Listen-Learn/Read-Program-Notes/Program-Notes/BEETHOVEN-Three-Equali-for-Four-Trombones,-WoO-30.aspx)

Joshua Kosman published a [[http://www.sfgate.com/music/article/SF-Symphony-review-Jest-an-absolute-joy-4490181.php|laudatory review]] with the SF Chronicle.

Jason Victor Serinus has posted a brief interview with Michael Fabiano -- discussing in part An die ferne Geliebte -- at the [[https://www.sfcv.org/events-calendar/artist-spotlight/michael-fabiano-on-beethoven-and-beyond|San Francisco Classical Voice website]].

{{tag>music San_Francisco_Symphony Davies_Symphony_Hall  Michael_Tilson_Thomas Michael_Fabiano St._Lawrence_String_Quartet Robin_Sutherland Beethoven John_Adams}}