J. S. Bach: Transformations

Transformations presents harpsichordist Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya in a richly conceived exploration of Johann Sebastian Bach’s art of transcription and reinvention. The program centres on Bach’s remarkable ability to absorb, reshape, and elevate existing material—whether borrowed from Italian contemporaries or reworked from his own violin and lute compositions.

The album opens with Bach’s keyboard transcriptions of concertos by Antonio Vivaldi (BWV 972) and Alessandro Marcello (BWV 974), composed during his Weimar years. These works are far more than literal copies: Bach enriches textures, intensifies harmonic direction, and introduces contrapuntal ingenuity, transforming orchestral idioms into vivid solo keyboard statements.

The recital then turns to arrangements of Bach’s own violin works, including the Sonata in D minor (BWV 964) and the Adagio in G major (BWV 968). These adaptations reveal Bach’s extraordinary capacity to rethink musical material across instrumental boundaries, expanding implied harmonies and deepening structural resonance for the harpsichord.

Lute-inspired works—BWV 999 and the monumental Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E-flat major (BWV 998)—highlight the shared expressive world of plucked and keyboard instruments. The program culminates in the Italian Concerto (BWV 971), a dazzling solo work that recreates the drama of orchestral dialogue entirely within a two-manual harpsichord texture.

Recorded in the Lutherse Kerk, Haarlem, in May 2025, this performance showcases Nepomnyashchaya’s clarity of articulation, rhythmic vitality, and imaginative approach to ornamentation and structure. The result is a compelling portrait of Bach not only as composer, but as master transformer.

Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya, Harpsichord