Top German organist to give recital in cathedral

Hans Hielscher at the organ in St John's Church, Dannevirke. Photo/File

One of Germany's most experienced and respected organists is to give a recital at the Waiapu St John Cathedral in Napier this weekend.

Hans Hielscher will join a growing list of leading organists who have headed for Hawke's Bay to stage concerts using the cathedral's now world-class organ.

It underwent a $745,000 refurbishment which took just over a year and has made it the largest functioning church organ in New Zealand.

He will perform a programme of music mainly from the late 19th and early 20th century at the Sunday concert, which will begin at 4pm.

A feature of the pieces selected for the recital will be that they will use many of the additions included in the rebuild.

Hielscher has been the organist at Wiesbaden Marktkirche (Lutheran Cathedral) since 1979 and has presented more than 3000 recitals throughout Europe, North America, South Africa, Australasia and the Far East.

He has also released 22 CDs for several European labels as well as authoring books on organs and organists.

Sunday's recital will open with a suite by Canadian organ and choral composer Denis Bedard, followed by one of the many organ sonatas by 19th century German composer Joseph Rheinberger.

Other items include a Line Dance by Noel Rawsthorne and El dia de fiesta by Belgium-born American composer Noel Goemanne.

The programme concludes with Hielscher's own arrangement of the well known Poet and Peasant Overture by Franz von Suppe.

Admission to the recital will be by programme purchased at the door for $20 or $15 for senior citizens and $5 for students.