Music to Take You Away
I often write about music in terms of its recorded sound quality and too reference the context of its performance, many times referencing historical performance practice, something that is sometimes difficult to discuss, given a variety of opinions and some academic thoughts on just how we perform older music. You’ll find too, I like to include some personal reflections, either on how I first came upon the album in question, or my own personal history with a piece of music.
For this post, I wanted to do something different. I know that music has saved me. Growing up as a teenager, if I hadn’t had a piano to play and the time in front of it to work through my issues, would have I made it to my current age? It’s hard to say. But I found performing and listening to music downright therapeutic.
I wanted to highlight some music that I feel gives me peace. And solace. And to share that with you.
Instead of highlighting albums specifically, I may highlight a few single tracks, but you may well like the entire album, too. The order in which these are presented are not intended as a ranked list, instead, they’re presented in the order in which I recalled them, looking through my collection.
- Bach Chaconne, BWV 1004 - Voices of Eternity by Ensemble Caprice - Matthias Mauté
- GoGo Penguin - A Humdrum Star: Prayer
- Monteverdi - A Trace of Grace - Soyeusement & A Trace of Grace - Michel Godard
- Uakti - Aguas de Amazonia - Philip Glass
- Morimur - The Hilliard Ensemble - Christoph Poppen
- Bach Fugue for Violin, BWV 1026 - Bach Before Bach - Chouchane Siranossian
- Black Acid Soul by Lady Blackbird, Blackbird (first track)
- Quentin & Guillemain: Conversations Nevermind - Jean Rondeau
- Bach Alio Modo by Fretwork (Arrangements) - Passacaglia, BWV 582
- Passacaglia for Wind Symphony, an Homage on B-A-C-H, by Ron Nelson from Holidays & Ephipanies by Dallas Wind Symphony, Jerry Junkin
Bach Chaconne
This album is a combination of vocal pieces, written by the recorder player Mauté, based on historical texts, interspersed with various baroque pieces. It all leads up to the final track, an arrangement of the famous Bach violin ciaccona for two recorders and cello. The entire production is special, honestly, and the album, for me, is a real favorite for all of its content. This album was in regular rotation when I set about to write my first novel. The thought at the time was to build the novel around a playlist, to allow the reader to enjoy some of the same pieces as its author, or moreso, the characters themselves. As far as first novels go, the journey was a long one, started in 2015. It was far too long, by the time I’d finished, with way too much detail, perhaps mimicking David Foster Wallace, without the care and genius. The playlist, as it was, was an historical look at the author’s own past life, from middle school through high school, into college, and beyond. This album had a few contributions to this list. I can’t help but revisit my project when I listen to this now. The craft of playing, the attention to detail, to affect and to sonic beauty come together in a very unique way. This album is very special, and its final track, genius, even if it’s an arrangement.
(For those reading, the novel and its two follow-up books, served to teach me how to write better, and I’m proud to say that in 2024, this very year, I decided to release the book, in a totally new form. The story is the same, but with totally new characters. Alas, the connection to music did not follow!)
Prayer
GoGo Penguin I came across by chance. The jazz ensemble, the electronic jazz ensemble, does some cover songs and their own original music, I believe. The opening to their 2018 album for me is profoundly poetic. The opening reminds me of the opening of my own string quartet, a descending sequence in thirds, rich in sonics. The musical material isn’t what’s that noteworthy, but the way it’s presented, the orchestration, the special effects, synths, and voices? Magical. This piece on premium headphones? Purest kind of bliss.
A Trace of Grace
I came across Michel Godard, famous, perhaps, for playing the serpent, an ancient French instrument, by way of another album recommended to me by the president of Roby & Fern here in Richmond. This album has two tracks which, together, I’ve played too many times. The first is built upon an ostinato, played by Godard himself, before adding his solo with the serpent on top. The music is baroque my origin, but some type of jazz, in the contemporary sense as well. The second track, A Trace of Grace has been recorded before, but it’s never sounded this perfect, to my ears. The congruence of sound between the two different instruments, one ancient and mechanical, the other electronic, is again, a personification of bliss. Be prepared to enter a soundworld that is sexy, mystical, and so satisfying.
Aguas de Amazonia
You may thought you knew Philip Glass through his piano music, but this was a collaboration with a South American ensemble that uses a variety of wild instruments to realize Glass’ ideas, a set of dances that form a ballet production, based upon the theme of the Amazon river and its tributaries. I liked the music and then one day I was alerted that my father was dying and that I should come to see him before he passed. I almost listened to this album exclusively, driving from Virginia down to Florida and this music became a soundtrack for a lot of reflection. Probably because of that experience, this music takes on special, spiritual significance for me. I’m only sad I could not have enjoyed it with him. This music has been recorded more than once, but I always like coming back to this “original” production. The mixture of synthesizers with acoustic instruments is a nice combination.
Morimur
The other album I listened to alongside the Glass, above, driving down to see my dad, was this album, a concept album examining the research behind Bach’s Chaconne for solo violin, BWV 1004. A German musicologist uncovered multiple themes that are referenced in the famous violin work, and this album teases these out separately. The final movement, like the one by Mauté above, features the chaconne performed by Poppen alongside the singers from the Hilliard Ensemble. The piece for me is moving because it helps reveal Bach’s genius. And maybe, as I knew by the time I reached my parents’ home, that my father had passed. The penultimate track for me is it. Genius on display. Producer Manfred Eicher sometimes likes, to my distaste, too much reverb, but in this case, it was the right choice. Oh, how I miss the Hilliard!
Bach Fugue in G minor
This fragment of a piece I discovered via Reinhard Goebel, who still is among my favorite performances; this newer recording on Alpha, however, is special, and worth your time. I’d also recommend Shunske Sato’s version as recorded for the All of Bach channel on YouTube. The piece is full of wonder, the counterpoint, rhythm, the themes, it’s a highly affective piece of music, quite unlike what other pieces Bach wrote for a violin and keyboard. The piece isn’t long, but its punch is nevertheless powerful!
Blackbird
This piece has such a rich sonic background, a true audiophile delight. The voice, its rawness, against the backdrop of an ostinato, unfolds like butter.
Nevermind Conversations
This album showcases baroque chamber music by French composers, as realized by a young and nimble chamber ensemble, led by harpsichordist Jean Rondeau. I’m including the entire album here, as it’s difficult to choose just one piece, or one track. While the album isn’t maybe of the highest sonic quality, the performances are nevertheless well executed, with a variety of affective moods.
Passacaglia in C minor
This major work for organ on this album is arranged for viol consort, and the way these players play together, trying to realize this piece in its coherence as a piece for one player on one instrument, is notable, however, it’s ultimately Bach’s genius that sets me into ecstasy. But matching the unfolding music with appropriate dynamics and articulation, they do this one well by arranging it. It’s the gem of the album.
Passacaglia on B-A-C-H
I had the great honor to have performed this piece (on trombone) while in graduate school at Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Institute of Music. It was an award-winning piece of music, I remember, and takes the cue from the above-mentioned piece, but the passacaglia is built upon the theme of Bach’s music signature, which appears in his own music (most famously, perhaps, in the last contrapunctus of the Kunst der Fuga). This piece, like the C minor work for organ, builds over time, and uses the full power of a modern wind ensemble and percussion to delight the listener. Nelson had a gift with orchestration and a wind ensemble’s sound; it’s put to great affect in this original composition, inspired by Bach’s music and legacy.
For me, our own performance of this work is the ultimate; but the recording by the Dallas Wind Symphony and mastered by Reference Recordings, is not bad.
