Gabriel Kney organ at First & Central Presbyterian |
David Schelat started with Dieterich Buxtehude’s Praeludium in D major and the church filled with sound. The acoustics created a swirl of sound as each new line chased the prior one into oblivion.
Mr. Schelat then played selections from Bach's Orgelbüchlein, choosing several short pieces which demonstrated the range of sounds the Kney can produce such as the Zimbelstern bells for the New Year: In you is joy (BWV 615).
David Schelat, organist & Music Director, Market Street Music |
After the intermission, Mr. Schelat played one of his own compositions — an organ sonata in three movements. The piece is quite melodic, but has innovative ideas such as the melody line played in the pedals for the folk song movement, with the keyboard playing an arpeggiated harmony. The relatively short piece, with its clear conception, was written for a colleague, Michael Britt, who premiered it in France.
Mr. Schelat used a lot of dynamic variation with the swell pedal for the Cesar Franck Fantaisie in A and the Piece Héroique, His encore, one of the Noel variations by Charpentier gave us an opportunity to hear the organ’s reed and piccolo stops.
This was a great tour of an amazing organ led by a local virtuoso, right in the center of Wilmington.
See www.marketstreetmusicde.org.