Felix Mendelssohn - Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach - Mendelssohn - Metamorphosis

Michael Gees

Label: Challenge Classics
Format: CD
Barcode: 0608917275124

Catalog number: CC 72751
Releasedate: 08-09-17

-A new disc by one of Challenge Classics most ‘faithful’ pianists
-Once more Michael Gees takes us into an imaginative journey: he applies an ‘improvisative’ approach to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn
-This way, he reveals some kinship, some affinities that go beyond the famous story of Mendelssohn as the discoverer of Bach’s music in 19th Century.
-Gees sees in his own way of dealing with music of the past the faithfulness to a ‘period performance’, when embellishment, adaptation and improvisation were widespread practice.

Michael Gees: How can a musical idea develop over and above what has been written down? What would Bach have thought about Mendelssohn? What would have happened had they been able to encourage each other to extemporise on their compositions?
It is considerations such as these that lead me to explore the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy by way of adaptational improvisations. In this context, I want to mention the term historical performance practice. Once upon a time – long before the invention of jazz – it was desired of, and common for, performers to treat the prescribed material creatively, improvising on the works in front of them, not only playing them, but also playing with them.