Jump to content

Bach Rewrite - Fender Rhodes & String Orchestra!


Rooster_Ties

Recommended Posts

I have GOT to get this. But where's the best/easiest way to get it here in the US?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6rRCu00jNc

http://jazzsoul.pl/2013/10/04/nowa-plyta-bach-rewrite-czyli-bach-na-fortepianie-elektrycznym/

Crazy busy day at work today (hell, this week and next), I'll have to look into it later (but had to share now!!). Just saw this via Reddit this morning on the Metro.

bach-rewrite.jpg

Edited by Rooster_Ties
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not yet, but I did check with a Russian born coworker of mine, to see if he could help me order one from some Polish online source (as yet to be determined -- appreciate your helping sleuth this!).

Jim, maybe I could order two copies, and send one along to you from here in the states? I've been meaning to send you something else Too for What seems like forever. ;-)

Let me know if you find any good options!

Edited by Rooster_Ties
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, this sounds horrible. Such a dull, colorless sound. And these Rhodes players seem to have tempo issues, as I hear it. And as far as "rewrite" is concerned, I thought they would at least improvise or something...

This is a Decca / Universal release, it will be well distributed, so it will appear on EU amazons soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The idea gives me the creeps.

OK, how about the idea of Baroque music with the basso-continuo played on bass clarinet? - an instrument that didn't even exist during the Baroque era?

Along with this "Bach on Fender Rhodes" concept -- that's another anachronistic music idea that I've LONG thought would be fun to hear (continuo on bass clarinet). There's a summer chamber-music series my wife and I used to go to in Kansas City every year, and I must have had that bass-clarinet idea at least 10 years ago.

Hell, why not both? - with a Rhodes on the harpsichord part, continuo on bass clarinet, and a more traditional lead-instrument part (perhaps violin, or oboe) up front?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a Bach record, ok, yes, creepy.

But as a Rhodes record, hey, interesting idea, and depending on execution, a way cool one.

Now, that "Switched On Bach" thing, that didn't work for me either way. But I never could got all acid-fetalistic with a Moog like I could with a Rhodes. So, there is interest here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exactly my point, Jim -- this is all about hearing thr Rhodes in a new context -- and in one that isn't as crazy (in terms of timbre) as many might think.

I *love* the sound of a Fender Rhodes, and anyone who does -- how could you not want to hear more of it (at least occasionally) in some unusual and unsuspecting contexts.

I don't expect Bach purists to get it -- but this isn't for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
  • 6 years later...

Alas, I never got this when I had the chance (though in my defense,Ā it was always close to $25 with shipping, always fromĀ eBay sellers from god only knows where).

Still wishĀ I had, and would love to still find a copy.

Edited by Rooster_Ties
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

8 years after first starting this topicĀ ā€” just last nightĀ I finally found one of these online from a seller on this continent (Canada), for a price that wasnā€™t a mint.

Itā€™ll be here in couple weeks, if not sooner.

PS: Including shipping, I got a still-sealed brand-new copyĀ for $21.34 ā€” so I guess I saved $4 on itĀ by waiting all these years until I found a copy. Meaning I never could find it for less than $25-$30 in all these years, until now.

Got it from a seller on Discogs, who sold it to me for about $4 less than his original asking price.

Edited by Rooster_Ties
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Iā€™m reminded of a classical pianist friend of ours back in Kansas City ā€” a performer of the highest order (she was the primary pianist for the 20th Century chamber ensemble newEar for a number of years).

She refused to play any keyboardĀ instrument that didnā€™t have REAL ā€˜volume actionā€™. As a rule, she never played any electronic keyboards (or harpsichord), not even the electronic keyboards with fake ā€˜volume actionā€™ (or whatever itā€™s called).

But Leah would and DID occasionally play Fender Rhodes ā€” because she said it had a natural form of ā€˜volume actionā€™. That it really was a keyboard that was essentially just an ā€œamplified acoustic eventā€ (if somewhat distorted).

That always stuck with me, when detractors of Fender Rhodes dismiss it simply because electricity is involved in the sound production.

She would also playĀ celeste on occasion too.

In addition to newEar, Iā€™m also remembering she was the house ā€œorchestral pianistā€ for the Kansas City Symphony for 6-8 years too.

Sheā€™d play any keyboard with a ā€œrealā€ action to it, and Rhodes qualified.

Ā 

Ā 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Rewrite" is totally inappropriate asĀ a title, since they didn't change one note. If they want to play it on their favourite keyboard instruments, it's their business. But my main complaint is that the volume balance between keyboards and strings is artificial, made at the mixing board. IfĀ volume issues were their mainĀ  concern, they could have used amplified harpsichords.Ā 

We still do not know exactly what keyboard Bach used in his Cafe Zimmermann concerts when a newly innovated instruments was announced. It could have been a two or even three manual harpsichord with a 16 " register, or a Silbermann pianoforte.Ā 

I cannot help think that string players back then played differently and softer when accompanying keyboards - there are some sources leading to that conclusion. And, only one player per part was the regular group size. This was chamber music, to be performed in smaller rooms. I have no idea how it sounded outside in the Zimmermann garden. But there is an early 18th century engraving with a large three manual harpsichord used in a courtyard. Performances on harpsichords of the type Bach used still are rare.Ā 

They are still many possibilities to try without plugging in.

Edited by mikeweil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...