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Echoes — Bach's Breath and Chopin / Cord Garben
Musicaphon

Echoes — Bach's Breath and Chopin / Cord Garben

Baroque Spiritual Virtuosic Uplifting Dramatic
$16.99

Details

Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Frederic Chopin
Artist
Cord Garben
Format
CD
Label
Musicaphon
Released
Jan 03, 2025
Catalog #
M56993
UPC
4012476569932

About

Chopin is said to have played in time (the metronome was always on the instrument), his left hand relentlessly keeping the tempo. Students also reported that he never played a piece in the same way, and that each performance produced a different result. And yet the composer's rubato playing was by no means as free as it is today. There are no reports of Chopin's playing of Bach in particular, but his admiration for the composer is certain. We therefore put the legend that he himself—according to his own statement—played only Bach for fourteen days before a concert into perspective and simply imagine that he worked intensively on "Bach" before his already rare performances. We can assume that the preludes and fugues of the "Well-Tempered Clavier," some of which are also heard in this project, were the focus of his interest.

A closer look at Chopin’s works, especially those of a smaller dimension, repeatedly catches the eye of modules that we think we already know from Bach. Individual bars of the Préludes op. 28 (1836-1839) and Études (op. 10 no. 4) (1833/1837) could be retransformed into a nucleus in Bach’s character with just a few “hand movements.” Chopin’s veneration of Bach preserved these highly condensed musical tools of the Baroque composer well into the Romantic century. He still used them in his late works, such as his last Nocturne in E major, which in a sense takes stock of “Bach.”

This recording, which feels entirely experimental, aims to create a unique musical experience through the direct connection of tonal, for example key, variations. The sound of some structurally related works clearly shows how much Chopin was influenced by Bach's work, whose formal stability with its geometric structures often prevented him from sowing too much "tinsel, trinkets, and pearls," something Robert Schumann once had the courage to accuse his rival of. The aim of this project tempted us to play "Chopin like Bach" here and there and to achieve the greatest possible transparency with extremely economical use of the pedal. Above all, to breathe Chopin's breath into Bach's melodic beauties with a "romantic" touch. The approximately 40-year-old Steinway B grand piano was chosen because of its slim bass section.

Tracklist 22 tracks

  1. 1 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 858 01:40
    Track
    1
    Title
    The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 858
    Duration
    01:40
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  2. 2 Nocturne No. 5 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 15, No. 2 02:59
    Track
    2
    Title
    Nocturne No. 5 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 15, No. 2
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  3. 3 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 848 01:25
    Track
    3
    Title
    The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 848
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  4. 4 Berceuse in D-Flat Major, Op. 57 04:11
    Track
    4
    Title
    Berceuse in D-Flat Major, Op. 57
    Duration
    04:11
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  5. 5 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 in E-Flat Minor 00:37
    Track
    5
    Title
    24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 in E-Flat Minor
    Duration
    00:37
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  6. 6 Fugue No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 852 04:40
    Track
    6
    Title
    Fugue No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 852
    Duration
    04:40
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  7. 7 Prelude No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 857 02:49
    Track
    7
    Title
    Prelude No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 857
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  8. 8 Nocturne No. 16 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55, No. 2 04:20
    Track
    8
    Title
    Nocturne No. 16 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55, No. 2
    Duration
    04:20
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  9. 9 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 11 in F Major, BWV 856 01:06
    Track
    9
    Title
    The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 11 in F Major, BWV 856
    Duration
    01:06
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  10. 10 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 23 in F Major 00:55
    Track
    10
    Title
    24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 23 in F Major
    Duration
    00:55
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  11. 11 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Fugue No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 866 02:48
    Track
    11
    Title
    The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Fugue No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 866
    Duration
    02:48
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  12. 12 Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52 11:58
    Track
    12
    Title
    Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52
    Duration
    11:58
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  13. 13 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 8 in E-Flat Minor, BWV 853 02:56
    Track
    13
    Title
    The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 8 in E-Flat Minor, BWV 853
    Duration
    02:56
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  14. 14 Etude No. 6 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 10, No. 6 02:45
    Track
    14
    Title
    Etude No. 6 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 10, No. 6
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  15. 15 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 6 in B Minor 01:41
    Track
    15
    Title
    24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 6 in B Minor
    Duration
    01:41
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  16. 16 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Fugue No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 869 02:05
    Track
    16
    Title
    The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Fugue No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 869
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  17. 17 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 5 in D Major 00:37
    Track
    17
    Title
    24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 5 in D Major
    Duration
    00:37
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  18. 18 The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Fugue No. 5 in D Major, BWV 850 02:09
    Track
    18
    Title
    The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Fugue No. 5 in D Major, BWV 850
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  19. 19 Etude No. 10 in A-Flat Major, Op. 10, No. 10 00:31
    Track
    19
    Title
    Etude No. 10 in A-Flat Major, Op. 10, No. 10
    Duration
    00:31
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  20. 20 Fugue No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 848 02:47
    Track
    20
    Title
    Fugue No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 848
    Duration
    02:47
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  21. 21 Prelude No. 9 in E Major, BWV 854 01:28
    Track
    21
    Title
    Prelude No. 9 in E Major, BWV 854
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Cord Garben
  22. 22 Nocturne No. 18 in E Major, Op. 62, No. 2 05:27
    Track
    22
    Title
    Nocturne No. 18 in E Major, Op. 62, No. 2
    Duration
    05:27
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Cord Garben