“THE ART OF FUGUE” AND THE TANGO
With “The Art of the Fugue”, Johann Sebastian Bach composed one of the most enigmatic works for musicians to interpret and shape that has ever been written. Looking for similarities between that and tango may seem absurd at first glance, but there are more things in common than one may think. The bandoneon, originally made as a replacement for the church organ, gives the adaptation of three and four part counterpoint an ideal basis for the sound. The way in which notes are produced on the bandoneon and the extremely illogical distribution of notes between the right and left hand determine the breathing and also enable a way of phrasing on a par to that of a string instrument. Thus, this trio of bandoneon, (baroque) violin and contrabass offers extraordinary timbres, at times sounding like a gamba ensemble, at others like an organ. The closeness to tango is not only limited to the instrumentation though. There are many similarities to be found in the music from Bach’s era and tango as well as in older compositions from the early days of the tango in Argentina, to works by Piazzolla and today’s composers: all tango musicians, and especially the bandoneonists, have shown an intense interest in J.S.Bach’s music throughout the ages. And: the tango (although a generalization of this diverse music doesn’t do it justice) uses a harmonic vocabulary, which is also to be encountered in the music of Bach and his contemporaries. In the current programme the Glorvigen-Trio takes the audience on an exciting journey: Chosen counterpoints taken from “The Art of the Fugue” are woven together with Tangos from various eras forming an unexpected unity.