Martin Stadtfeld - Homage to Bach (2018)

The many years Martin Stadtfeld devoted to studying the music of Johann Sebastian Bach are now also bearing compositional fruit. On his new CD he presents his own arrangements and works, which are closely linked with Bach’s musical cosmos.

The Chaconne from the D minor Partita for Solo Violin, BWV 1004, numbers among the most remarkable and fascinating works in the classical repertoire, as can be seen by the many arrangements of this piece, with Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Ferruccio Busoni among the most prominent to have arranged it. Although Martin Stadtfeld was inspired by Busoni, in his arrangement he also focused on a pared down approach, allowing the timbres of the original to shine through on the modern grand.

In the second part of his new release he presents his twelve-part “Homage to Bach.” This cyclical work emerged from his improvisations on themes by Bach in concert and years of closely working on Bach’s late work, especially the 14 Canons BWV 1087, and improvisations on short passages from the Goldberg Variations, The Musical Offering and The Art of Fugue. As Martin Stadtfeld says, “you could exaggerate a little and say that in his final years Bach was only composing canons – and they cast a spell on me.”

Based on this experience, Stadtfeld has now recorded a composition with an introductory Prelude starting in the same key as The Well-Tempered Clavier. Each successive piece is a half-step higher, so that the closing piece is in B, just like in The Well-Tempered Clavier. In addition, for his own cycle he developed his own tuning for the grand piano, which was used in this recording and also in his recitals.

Stadtfeld relies on familiar Baroque models in general and Bach’s music in particular, including the Echo at the end of the French Overture, the Siciliano from the Sonata for Flute BWV 1031, and finally the Ricercar from The Musical Offering. This homage is a voyage of discovery leading to Bach, away from Bach, and back to him again.

Tracklist:
01. Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: V. Chaconne (Arr. for Piano)
02. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: I. Prelude in C
03. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: II. Choral in D-Flat
04. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: III. Canonic Variations on B-A-C-H in D
05. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: IV. Choral Prelude and Canon on Two Themes in E-Flat
06. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: V. Minuet in E
07. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: VI. Pastorella in F
08. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: VII. Echo in F-Sharp
09. Homage To Bach-12 Pieces For Piano: VIII. Siciliano In G
10. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: IX. Prelude and Fugue in A-Flat
11. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: X. Ricercar in A
12. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: XI. Fugue in B-Flat
13. Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: Homage to Bach-12 Pieces for Piano: XII. Choral in B