Johann Sebastian Bach
1. Fugue No. 5 in D Major
2. Gavotte in D Major
3. Pastorale in C Major
4. Air on a G String
5. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major
6. Harpsichord Concerto in D Major: 3. Allegro
Claude Debussy
7. Arabesque
8. L’Isle joyeusse
Erik Satie
9. Gymnopedie No. 1
Maurice Ravel
10. Bolero
Bonus: Jacques Loussier in conversation
Jacques Loussier (piano)
Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac (bass)
Andre Arpino (drums)
Recorded live at St Thomas’s Church, Leipzig,
28 July 2004
As Jurgen Schwab points out
in the liner notes to this DVD, Jacques Loussier
was not the first jazz musician to improvise
on a Bach piece; Django Rheinhardt and Stephane
Grapelli got there as far back as 1937. It
was Bach’s own music, however - rather than
this historical reading - that inspired in
Loussier the urge to create something new
from the composer’s work. As a ten year old
child in Angers, Western France, Loussier
fell in love with a piece from the so-called
Notebooks of Anna Magdalena Bach. Playing
it over and over again, he began to alter
the melodies and harmonies, developing the
habit of improvisation and learning the art
of composition. When he eventually began at
the Paris Conservatoire, his original take
on the music of Bach proved popular amongst
his fellow students, who often begged him
to play ‘his Bach’.
It’s easy to understand their
enthusiasm; whilst maintaining the spirit
of the original compositions, Loussier’s Bach
is a unique experience, richly textured and
beautifully constructed. The concert opens
with a sensitively arranged ‘Fugue No. 5 in
D Major’ - a recording that perfectly supports
the pianist’s view that his improvisations
are carried out with the greatest respect
for Bach. Whilst the camera focuses on his
nimble fingers effortlessly covering the breadth
of the piano, we never get the sense that
Loussier’s virtuosity is showcased at the
expense of the whole. Every note, every phrase,
every chord, every solo is measured, exact
and in keeping with the mood. In Loussier’s
careful hands, the music of Bach is celebrated
rather than desecrated, built on rather than
tampered with.
In saying this, several of
the featured pieces have been given a distinctly
modern feel. ‘Gavotte in D Major’, for example,
begins with a funky, chilled out drum and
bass riff that really starts to swing. The
piano then enters, hammering out an upbeat
take on the well-known melody. Similarly,
in the ‘Allegro’ section of the Brandenburg
Concerto, Loussier solos around the main theme
of the piece, challenging it at every opportunity.
Switching between major and minor reflections,
he eventually soars in to a rich landscape
of sound, reminiscent of the style of the
Romantic period. It must be noted, though,
that throughout such examples, a strong sense
of form and melody is maintained, the original
vision never lost.
Perhaps the most striking
example of Loussier’s ability to combine inventiveness
with restraint arises on his famous ‘Air on
a G String’. Smooth, flawless and completely
controlled, his playing is truly remarkable
to witness, and brings out of the beauty of
his improvisations. Through the slightest
tonal variations, and delicate runs on the
higher registers, he creates a subtle and
intelligent masterpiece guaranteed to delight.
Loussier’s ideas are truly
unique - but his supporting musicians understand
them well, and perform outstandingly throughout
this concert. Andre Arpino is a great percussionist,
having years of experience working with the
likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz and a
host of other top jazz musicians. Whilst taking
a generally quiet approach, he creates incredible
rhythmic tension, and plays with a lot of
feeling throughout. In the softer section
of ‘Gavotte in D. Major’, he reveals a remarkable
sensitivity, playing with all kinds of rhythmic
textures, never allowing a descent in to blandness.
He likewise breathes life in to the Brandenbug
Concerto, ensuring each fill is well-timed
and complex. And on his solo he truly shines,
beginning with a heavenly mesh of cymbals
that resounds delightfully throughout the
church. Gradually, he raises the intensity
levels, high hat steadily tapping away as
he covers the kit with an array of rhythms.
Eventually, he settles for a funky swing,
building up incredible speed and noise before
signalling to Loussier that it’s time to return
with a few quiet taps on the cymbals.
Bassist, Benoit Dunoyer de
Segonzac, is an equally virtuosic performer.
Eyes closed for much of the performance, his
emotional attachment to the music is clear.
Making considerable use of vibrato, his tone
is rich, clear and resonant, his rhythmic
precision second to none. Some of the most
beautiful work of the concert occurs when
he doubles up Loussier’s melodies, playing
so tightly it almost seems that only one miraculous
instrument is involved. It is his solo, though,
on ‘Pastorale in C Minor’ that truly demonstrates
his immense talent. Extremely complex, yet
highly melodic, it probes a variety of moods
of styles - from groovy, to challenging, to
ethereal, to intense - using spine tingling
chords to draw out the harmonies. The camera
catches a wonderful moment as a smile breaks
through on Loussier’s face (believe me, this
is an incredible compliment), before panning
back for a shot of the crowd from somewhere
near the ceiling of the church.
Indeed, the quality of the
camera work is impressive throughout this
DVD, capturing the trio at their most intense,
whilst also giving considerable attention
to the architecture of this beautiful building
(in which Bach himself is buried). Every last
detail is stylishly presented - even the appearance
of the song titles. Before a new piece begins,
it’s name appears in a minimalist fashion,
accompanied by a strip of images of the church
- such as stained glass windows, pillars and
sculptures.
A final pleasing touch is
added by the inclusion of a (fairly self-explanatory)
section called ‘Jacques Loussier in conversation’.
Here, the composer discusses such things as
his ardent love of Bach ("He’s my life.
He represents what’s essential in music."),
the musicians who have influenced his approach
to piano and the history of his work in trios.
Most illuminating, perhaps, is his detailed
description of how he approaches his arrangements
- analysing the score, changing the harmonies
and creating a section for each musician to
take off freely in his own preferred direction.
"For every composer," he tells us,
"you have to find what’s most suitable.
Simply adding bass and percussion isn’t enough."
And, having listened to his takes on Debussy
and Satie - finely arranged, delicately performed
and in keeping with each composer’s style
- we understand the truth of these words.
Overall, its difficult not
to be inspired by work like this. Loussier’s
arrangements, as Schwab puts it, ‘give back
to Baroque music, with its tendency towards
rhythmic uniformity, a vitality and spontaneity
that makes it sound fresh and alive to our
modern ears.’ And, aside from viewing the
live performance, it doesn’t get much fresher
than on a DVD like this. A beautifully filmed,
beautiful performed and beautifully presented
concert, I truly cannot recommend this enough.
Robert Gibson
CD Reviews
EuroArts
DVD 2054068
