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The instrument, which was reinstalled in February, was rebuilt to include additional pipes and ranks and an entirely new configuration to improve the sound in the church.
"The organ has a noticeably richer sound," Brockway says. "The overall impression is that the sound doesn't just come dripping through, it's all around the sanctuary. It's so rich."
Schrock hopes to expose that richness on Sunday with a program specifically designed around the new instrument.
"Several of the pieces on the program specifically highlight some of the color sounds and new sounds available on this instrument that has either not been available before or not been heard before," says Schrock, a teacher of First Congregational Church organist Paul Flyger. "The second piece on the program (Louis-Nicholas Clérambault's 'Suite No. 2 in G Minor') uses some of the color stops from the French classic for example. The Pachelbel partita ('Alle Menschen müssen sterben') uses a set of variations and will be using a different combination of stops."
Schrock will open the recital with Johann Sebastian Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in D Major, BWV 532." The composition, Bach's only extended organ work in D major, is known for its ascending scales and arpeggios dominated by the pedal, followed by abrupt changes of texture and key. Louis-Nicholas Clérambault's "Suite no. 2 in G Minor," a French organ work from the classic period, follows with its colorful stops and stop combinations.
One of the highlights os the program is Johann Pachelbel's partita on "Alle Menschen müssen sterben," which translates as "All people are mortal." The chorale is one of four partitas published in Pachelbel's "Musikalische Sterbens-Gedancken" ("Musical Reflections on Death") in 1683. Pachelbel composed the piece after the deaths of his wife and infant son, but his musical treatment reflects his faith, most notably in the chorale texts.
"The work as a whole is full of energy," Schrock says.
"We thought it would be nice to give the audience a participatory experience. The organ is not just a solo instrument. One of its important functions is to accompany and lead audience and congregational singing. Many important works for organ are based on tunes for singing."
The remainder of the program includes César Franck's "Pièce Héroïque," one of three pieces composed for a large organ built for an International Exhibition in Paris; Sigfrid Karg-Elert's Chorale-improvisation on "In dulci jubilo"; and Charles-Marie Widor's Adagio and Toccata from Symphony No. 5.
"I wanted six pieces that would give the biggest variety," Schrock says. "All are quite different from each other and each shows some capability of the instrument that none of the others do."
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