Various Artists - Tantalo - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

What a title? What can the two numbers 60 - 90 mean? The reference to numbers plays a fundamental role in Bach's work. Johann Sebastian Bach built an incredible structure and communication into his works on the foundation of numbers, in the spirit of Soli Deo Gloria - Glory to God alone. All the works on this album are by Johann Sebastian Bach, or have a direct link to him. For example, he arranged the oboe concerto by Alessandro Marcello for solo keyboard, and we use Bach's ornaments in our performance of it. Piazzolla and Shostakovich make reference to The Well-Tempered Clavier. The main work presented here is Bach's Concerto in D minor BWV 1052, which he transcribed for his own use as a harpsichord concerto. The original version no longer exists, but was for a string instrument violin or violoncello piccolo, an instrument Bach used in his cantatas. Julius Berger and Andrei Pushkarev have made an arrangement of this piece for violoncello piccolo, a cello tuned a fifth higher. The orchestral part is played by vibraphone and marimba. The transfer to other instruments corresponds to the practice of Bach himself. A special feature of our recording is the continuous peaceful pulsation of about 60 beats per minute, a rhythm that calms and brings introspection The instrumentation used here reflects our deeper objective vibraphone and marimba giving the heartbeat, to which the cello crafts a life-melody - keeping the spirit of the works performed but in a modern interpretation. The close relationship between rhythm in the music and human pulse creates an atmosphere in this recording that we believe and hope corresponds to what Bach noted in his Lutheran Bible 'Where there is devotional music, God with his grace is always present.'

Tallis began his career as organist at the Benedictine Priory at Dover, followed by similar service at Waltham Abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540. He was then organist at Canterbury Cathedral and in 1543 became a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, a position he retained until his death. Like Byrd, his pupil, he seems to have remained loyal to the old religion, while continuing to enjoy royal favor. Tallis wrote a quantity of Latin church music and contributed also to the reformed English liturgy, in some cases adapting earlier Latin compositions. One of his most remarkable achievements is the 40-voice Spem in alium. His setting of the Latin Holy Week liturgy Lamentations represents his work at it's height. The composer's name is widely known through the metrical psalm tune known as Tallis's Canon, a setting of God, grant we grace.

Limited double 180gm clear vinyl LP pressing. Head Music was the second album by the second line-up of the band and was released in May 1999. It entered the UK album charts at #1. It was home to four hit singles InchElectricityInch, InchCan't Get EnoughInch, InchEverything Will FlowInch, and InchShe's In FashionInch, live favorites to this day.