Our principal organist Christian Schmitt
Konzerthalle Bamberg, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal (Bamberg)
Alongside his celebrated concerts in other cultural temples worldwide, Christian Schmitt has been our trusted »Principal Organist« for many years now. He is not the only one on the podium this afternoon, but together with musicians from the ranks of our orchestra, he creates magnificent sound effects – such as a work composed in 1976 referring to Marc Chagall: This painter-poet designed famous glass windows in iridescent colours in many places. The fascinating composition »Okna« by the Czech Petr Eben reflects his experiencing of Chagall‘s vitrage for the synagogue in Jerusalem. The piece is congenially encompassed by Bach's virtuoso music: the E-flat major prelude functions as an atmospheric overture, and the corresponding fugue follows as a masterful Baroque piece with three tightly interlocked themes. Trombone and organ then unite for the romantically-influenced »Morceau symphonique« by Alexandre Guilmant. The sparkling piece from 1902 captivates with its lyrical opening and its vibrant development with energetic, rocketing scales. Sofia Gubaidulina's 1978 sonata »Detto 1« is more spiritual – but the meditative lines also repeatedly produce heated cascades. Finally, the god of the seas symbolically makes his grand appearance: the impressive piece »Poseidon« was composed by the Swede Andrea Tarrodi in 2021. Everything here is in a state of flux with rising and falling sound masses.