According to Bach
42 Festival Internacional de Jazz de Barcelona
The recent path of the great French accordionist Richard Galliano can be seen as a homecoming. Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist and violinist who brought Baroque music to new heights of maturity, creating the foundation of all music that emerged later. Indeed, everything is in Bach, and Richard Galliano has been immersed in his work with the quintet of classical musicians who accompanied him in his inspired reading of the work of one of the greatest composers of the last century, Astor Piazzolla. Listening to Galliano’s latest work is as a return to the source.
The Festival International de Jazz de Barcelona put the Palau de la Música Catalana’s stage at Richard Galliano’s feet for the admiration of the audience. That concert was on last 19th November and Galliano presented his recent Bach (Deutsche Grammophon, 2010) with some pieces from his project Piazzolla Forever (Dreyfus Jazz, 2003). The pulse from vigorous to derivatively contemplative Piazzolla’s compositions resounded along with the harmonies emerged from the compulsive and wonderful Bach’s composition. Erik Satie was also present in one of the most chiaroscuro moments of the night. All this happened under the Galliano’s enormous inspiration on accordion accompanied by a magnificent classic performing quintet: Jean-Marc Phillips on violin, Sébastien Surel on violin, Jean-Marc Apap on viola, Raphaël Pidoux on cello, and Stéphane Logerot on double bass. The concert ended with the audience standing up completely delivered to that French musician. He could hear some ardent bravos when he played solo the ending piece.
His interpretation of Bach's work is truly sublime. Galliano approaches the classic composer from a naturalness given by its high musical sensitivity. In his own words "en effet, dans ce disque, j'ai choisi un répertoire destiné à une multitude d'instruments (le Violon, le Violoncelle, les Claviers, l'Orgue, le Hautbois...) et chaque fois l'Accordéon, le Bandonéon ou l'Accordina (sorte d' Harmonica à boutons) s'approprient la partition originale et démontrent l'universalité de la Musique de J.S. Bach, pouvant être interprétée de manière tout aussi artistique et expressive sur des instruments inventés quelques... deux siècles après la mort du compositeur". And that naturalness is deeply perceived by the audience soul in his concerts but also in his records. His music always flows as it was emerged for the first time. It's new and old, it’s the return of everything we once knew and had forgotten. But Bach's music is always waiting in the path of creative memory.
The accordion and bandoneon road through the melodies of Bach’s compositions is ultimately delicious. Badinerie (suite for orchestra No. 2 in B minor) through the most popular Air (Suite for Orchestra No. 3 in D major) to his unique original composition, Aria, a tribute to the legacy of the master, are signs that all makes sense in the sensitivity.
Text by Juan Carlos Romero
Photos by Emmanuel Ducoulombier