“Johann, I’m Only Dancing” = BACH: Preludio from Solo Violin Partita in E Major, BWV 1006; Andante from Flute Sonata in E minor, BWV 1034; Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565; Prelude in D major from Suite No. 6 for Cello, BWV 1012; Largo e Dolce from Flute Sonata in A major, BWV 1032; Prelude in G minor for Harpsichord, BWV 885; Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 847; Allegro from Flute Sonata in C major, BWV 1033; Sonata in A minor from Oboe Sonata in G minor, BWV 1020; Arioso from Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056; Bourree and Sarabande from English Suite No. 3 in A minor, BWV 807; Introduction and Gigue from Toccata in D major, BWV 912; Minuet and Badinerie from Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067; Largo from Concerto in D minor for 2 Violins, BWV 1043; Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 – Red Priest – Red Priest 007, 69:04 ***:
Red Priest is Piers Adams (recorder), Angela East (cello), Julia Bishop (violin), and Howard Beach (harpsichord). Each of these artists is a sterling instrumentalist, playing at the top of his or her game – virtuosity personified. If you have not heard of them before, I suggest you go to their website (www.piersadams.com/RedPriest/) or to YouTube and view some of the performances—it will go a long way in making you understand their philosophy of performance. Basically they claim to be seeking a middle way between “pop-Bach” and the austerities of “authentic” Bach to create a “rock-Chamber-Bach”. Really? It seems old hat to me at this point, the Kronos Quartet attempting something like this years ago with relaxed and even pop-ish outfits, attempting to bring new audiences to the genre of the string quartet. Red Priest has no genre as such; musically I can’t tell the difference between what they are doing and what Bob James did electronically for Scarlatti and Rameau. [Great stuff, by the way…Ed.]
I don’t think anyone will ever consider what they do as a serious attempt to redefine the way we hear Bach—it has been tried too many times, and as I said, there is nothing new here in that regard, though their concerts (shows?) seem quite entertaining, and I am sure I would enjoy hearing and seeing them, though I doubt I would come away with thinking it was the last word in Bach performance, or any other type of Baroque music. It certainly is possible that it might attract some younger people to the Bach fold, or even older ones ignorant of the composer and others whom they play. I remember when the Stokowski Bach transcriptions album came out on Decca years ago when I was working in a music store; every time we played it people asked about it and at least one copy sold—it was almost automatic. Hopefully some of these people went on to explore the composer in his more genuine settings.
As is, all of the music here had to be transcribed for this unique ensemble. Adam’s recorder is quite phenomenal—I am amazed at what he accomplishes on it. Yet as the album progressed I began to tire of it, the newness of it all wearing out quickly, and I began to understand this more as performance art that needs to be seen as well as heard (remember Virgil Fox’s light shows at Fillmore West?). As such it degenerated into background music, albeit of a higher quality. The sound is excellent and I am sure I will put it on from time to time; but on the whole I think this album is geared more to Bach novices or those just looking for an interesting distraction. There is a place for this group in the larger picture—I am just not sure where it is.
— Steven Ritter
