BL!NDMAN plays Bach
Modelling Polyphony
Saxophone quartet BL!NDMAN performs a special performance of J.S. Bach’s four chorale partitas.
The music of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is of all times and continues to inspire. In the latest Klara top 100, it popped up more than 12 times. At Z33 on 22 June, you won’t get to hear the well-known Brandenburg Concertos, Mathew or St John Passion. BL!NDMAN opts for lesser-known organ works from Bach’s teenage years, namely four chorale partitas. These compositions show the musician’s innovative take on the German polyphonic tradition.
A chorale used to be a church song. The chorale partita uses the chorale as a starting point for a series of variations. In these, a simple sequence of adventures around themes is used. By assigning each of the variations its own identity, he creates the impression that each piece can still exist as a full-fledged independent piece at any time despite its uniform atmosphere.
Eric Sleichim arranged these organ works for saxophone¬. His choice of wind instruments is based on the source of all music: breath. The BL!NDMAN quartet thus reshapes this authen¬tic style. The sound spec¬trum of the saxophones equally evokes the austere sounds of certain baroque organs.
Credits
Eric Sleichim: artistieke leiding en arrangementen
BL!NDMAN [sax]
Pieter Pellens: sopraansaxofoon
Hendrik Pellens: altsaxofoon
Piet Rebel: tenorsaxofoon
Sebastiaan Cooman: baritonsaxofoon
Programme
Johann Sebastian Bach / Arr. Eric Sleichim
BWV 766: Christ, der du bist der helle Tag
BWV 770: Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen
BWV 767: O Gott, du frommer Gott
BWV 768: Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig
