Jump to content

After Bach

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
After Bach
Recordingby
Brad Mehldau
ReleasedMarch 9, 2018
RecordedApril 18–20, 2017
StudioMechanics Hall(Worcester, Massachusetts)
GenreClassical
Length69:16
LabelNonesuch
ProducerBrad Mehldau
Brad Mehldauchronology
Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau
(2015–16) 		After Bach
(2017) 		Finding Gabriel
(2017–18)

After Bachis a solo album by pianistBrad Mehldau.It consists of five compositions fromJohann Sebastian Bach'sWell-Tempered Clavierinterspersed with pieces by Mehldau that were inspired by them. The performances were recorded in 2017 and released byNonesuch Recordsthe following year.

Background[edit]

PianistBrad Mehldauis known predominantly as a jazz musician who incorporates numerous influences into his playing.[1]Among these influences is classical music—Mehldau was classically trained—including the works ofJohann Sebastian Bach.[2]Bach was an excellent keyboardist, a necessary part of which, during his lifetime, was the ability to improvise.[1][3]While such improvisation has largely been lost from classical music performance, it is fundamental to jazz musicians.[1]

The origins ofAfter Bachwere 2015 performances by Mehldau of his compositions that were inspired by Bach and commissioned byCarnegie Hall,The Royal Conservatory of Music,The National Concert Hall,andWigmore Hall.[4]These were known as "Three Pieces After Bach".[5]

Music and recording[edit]

The album was recorded on April 18–20, 2017, atMechanics Hall,Worcester, Massachusetts.[4]Mehldau also produced the album.[4]

The first and last pieces on the album are Mehldau compositions.[3]In the first, "a few simple lines are developed in unexpected ways, gather complexity and then resolve with the simplicity of a perfect cadence".[3]For the last, "the bustle of counterpoint is set aside as stark voicings gain warmth, sparse lines hover in space and a wistful melody lingers in the air".[3]Between these two, Mehldau plays fourpreludesand onefuguefrom Bach'sThe Well-Tempered Clavier;each is followed by one of his own compositions that is an interpretation of the Bach piece.[2][3]One is of thePrelude No. 3 in C-sharp major,which features the pianist "resetting Bach's original riff in a jerky 5/4 rhythm and taking it into a harmonically adventurous labyrinth. Similarly, a romantic, rubato-heavy reading of the F minor Prelude and Fugue is followed by a dreamlike meditation on some of the themes hinted at in Bach's original".[2]

Release and reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz[1]
AllMusic[6]
Financial Times[3]
The Irish Times[7]
laut.de[8]
Le Devoir[9]
PopMatters8/10[10]
Stereophile[11]
The Times[12]
Tom HullB[13]

After Bachwas released byNonesuch Recordson March 9, 2018.[14]TheFinancial Timesreviewer described it as a "beautifully formed solo piano album".[3]The reviewer forThe Guardiancommented on the harmonic complexities in the Mehldau pieces, and noted that the last two tracks were more straightforward to engage with emotionally.[2]AllMusicsummarized the record as "a warm, endlessly listenable album that still pushes plenty of musical boundaries".[6]

Track listing[edit]

  1. "Before Bach: Benediction" – 5:27
  2. "The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I, BWV 848: Prelude No. 3 in C# Major"– 1:21
  3. "After Bach: Rondo" – 8:21
  4. "The Well-Tempered Clavier Book II, BWV 870: Prelude No. 1 in C Major"– 2:36
  5. "After Bach: Pastorale" – 3:46
  6. "The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I, BWV 855: Prelude No. 10 in E Minor"– 2:16
  7. "After Bach: Flux" – 5:06
  8. "The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I, BWV 857: Prelude and Fugue No. 12 in F Minor" – 6:10
  9. "After Bach: Dream" – 7:50
  10. "The Well-Tempered Clavier Book II, BWV 885: Fugue No. 16 in G Minor" – 3:04
  11. "After Bach: Ostinato" – 12:20
  12. "Prayer for Healing" – 11:06

Source:[4]

Personnel[edit]

  • Brad Mehldau – piano

Charts[edit]

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (UltratopFlanders)[15] 61
Belgian Albums (UltratopWallonia)[16] 84
French Albums (SNEP)[17] 142
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] 94
Italian Albums (FIMI)[19] 78
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[20] 45
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 78
USTop Classical Albums(Billboard)[22] 3
USTop Jazz Albums(Billboard)[23] 1

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdGeorgievski, Nenad (March 2, 2018)."Brad Mehldau: After Bach album review @ All About Jazz".All About Jazz.Retrieved6 August2020.
  2. ^abcdLewis, John (March 1, 2018)."Contemporary Album of the Month – Brad Mehldau: After Bach".The Guardian.RetrievedMarch 13,2018.
  3. ^abcdefgHobart, Mike (March 9, 2018)."Brad Mehldau: After Bach – 'Beautifully Formed Solo Album'".Financial Times.RetrievedMarch 13,2018.
  4. ^abcd"After Bach by Brad Mehldau".nonesuch.com.RetrievedMarch 13,2018.
  5. ^Fordham, John (December 18, 2015)."Brad Mehldau Review – A Balance of Space and Intensity Perfectly Struck".The Guardian.RetrievedMarch 13,2018.
  6. ^abCollar, Matt."Brad Mehldau – After Bach".AllMusic.RetrievedMarch 15,2018.
  7. ^Larkin, Cormac (9 March 2018)."Brad Mehldau: After Bach review – Bigging up, not jazzing up, the great composer".The Irish Times.irishtimes.com.Retrieved20 May2018.
  8. ^Benassi, Giuliano."Der New Yorker Pianist spielt Bach auf eigene Weise"(in German).laut.de.Retrieved27 July2020.
  9. ^Rondo, Écoutez (23 March 2018)."After Bach, Brad Mehldau".Le Devoir(in French).Retrieved6 August2020.
  10. ^INGALLS, CHRIS (21 March 2018)."A Mere Listen to Brad Mehldau's 'After Bach' Can Stave Off Life's Stresses".PopMatters.popmatters.com.Retrieved20 May2018.
  11. ^Baird, Robert (18 May 2018)."Recording of June 2018: After Bach".Stereophile.stereophile.com.Retrieved20 May2018.
  12. ^Bungey, John (16 March 2018)."Jazz reviews: Brad Mehldau: After Bach/ Michael Wollny Trio: Oslo/ Wartburg".The Times.thetimes.co.uk.Retrieved20 May2018.
  13. ^"Tom Hull: Grade List: Brad Mehldau".Tom Hull.Retrieved13 July2020.
  14. ^"Nonesuch Releases Brad Mehldau's After Bach on March 9".bradmehldau.com.January 24, 2018. Archived fromthe originalon March 14, 2018.RetrievedMarch 13,2018.
  15. ^"Ultratop.be – Brad Mehldau – After Bach"(in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  16. ^"Ultratop.be – Brad Mehldau – After Bach"(in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  17. ^"Lescharts.com – Brad Mehldau – After Bach".Hung Medien. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  18. ^"Offiziellecharts.de – Brad Mehldau – After Bach"(in German).GfK Entertainment Charts.Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  19. ^"Italiancharts.com – Brad Mehldau – After Bach".Hung Medien. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  20. ^"Portuguesecharts.com – Brad Mehldau – After Bach".Hung Medien. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  21. ^"Swisscharts.com – Brad Mehldau – After Bach".Hung Medien. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  22. ^"Brad Mehldau Chart History (Top Classical Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  23. ^"Brad Mehldau Chart History (Top Jazz Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved July 6, 2018.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=After_Bach&oldid=1225895974"