J.S. Bach Music of the Heavens

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Side A:

1. „Prelude” - From Cello Suite No.1 BWV 1007

2. „Allemande” - From Lute Suite BWV 996

3. „Andante” - From Violin Concerto in A-minor BWV 1041

4. „Air on G String”  - From Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068

5. Chorale BWV 253 - From 436 Four-Part Chorales

6. “Aria” - From Goldberg Variations BWV 988

Total time: 19.43

Side B:

1. „Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” – From  Cantata BWV 147

2. „Have Mercy, Lord, On Me”– From „St. Matthew Passion” BWV 244

3.             Invention No.1  BWV 772– From “Two-part  Inventions”

4. „Sarabande” – From Violin Partita No. 1 BWV 1002 

5. „Arioso” – From Cantata BWV 156

Total time: 19.27

Musicians:

Alicja Śmietana  - A3,6 B2

Marcin Wądołowski -A1,2,5 B1,2,4,5

Piotr Wyleżoł – A1, B1,2,3,5

Paul Rutschka – A6, B2

Robert Majewski – B2

Dominik Bukowski – A6

John Medeski -A 3

Yaron Gershovsky – A4

Adam Czerwiński -A1,3,5,6 B1,2,4,5

Music concept and arrangements by Adam Czerwiński

“Air on the G String” arranged by Yaron Gershovsky

“Aria” from Goldberg Variations arranged by Alicja Śmietana

“Chorale” and “Sarabande” musical concepts by Marcin Wądołowski

Keyboard parts for the „Concerto in a-minor” created by John Medeski

All other electronic parts created by Piotr Wyleżoł"

Recorded in December 2023 and January-February 2024 at Custom 34 Studio in Gdańsk.

Recording Engineer: Piotr Łukaszewski

Engineer Assistant: Krzysztof Szabłowski

Equipment: Neve Custom Series console, 1073 preamps, UA 1176 and UA LA2A compressors, Neumann U67 and Telefunken U47 microphones, Elam 251 and HUM Audio RS-2 microphones. Studer 24-track A 827 Tape Recorder, QUANTEGY GP9 tape. 

Mastered with Pultec EQ and Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor.

Additional sessions:

“Air on the G String” recorded on January 24th at EastSide Sound Studios, New York.

Recording engineer: Marc Urselli

All keyboards for Concerto in A minor recorded on February 14th at Apple Head Recording Studios, Woodstock, NY, by John Medeski.

Keyboards used for recording:

- Korg Delta

- Mellotron M400

- Hohner Clavinet

Analog mastering by Piotr Łukaszewski, February 2024.

DMM cutting by Hendrik Pauler at Pauler Acoustics. 

"Music of the Heavens was beyond doubt the most surprising for me and its forward-thinking approach didn't at all align with my more traditional expectations for this kind of mish-mash of classical music with jazz.

[…]Not to mention that I'd also mentally prepared myself for something that was thematically more along the lines of the classic 1960's Jacques Loussier Trio recordings of jazz interpretations of the works of Bach—which Music of the Heavens is thankfully nothing at all like! The recording is a tour-de-force of improvisational explorations, taking the music of Bach down a heretofore unseen path that's perhaps a bit profane, but nonetheless exceptionally entertaining[…]

The highly improvisational performances are fantastical in nature, but very true to the composer's intent as well as exceptionally entertaining. Very highly recommended!”

Tom Gibbs, Positive Feedback