For years, Johann Sebastian Bach’s music has been held high as one of the pinnacles of classical music, both for performers looking to sharpen their skills, as well as for listeners, who revel in the German master’s cascading musical forms. But for Samuel Gaskin, Bach’s music is also something that can be played with.
“When you look at his life, he was really a down to earth kind of practical personality, just kind of trying to make a paycheck and making music for every week at the church. And I think sometimes it's good to play with what we have as the existing standards of classical music and try to reinvent them a little bit for today's age,” Gaskin said following a recital held on March 20 at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church.
Gaskin’s program, “The Malleable Bach,” paired Bach’s works with modern interpretations by composers like Brad Mehldau, Dave Brubeck, and Gaskin’s own take on Bach’s music, such as “Bach’s Memento,” which twists around the famous “B-A-C-H” motif.
Listen in the audio player below to hear Gaskin play an excerpt of Bach’s “Italian Concerto,” followed by “Bach’s Memento,” performed by Gaskin with the newly-formed Bell Pepper String Trio. The full concert will be aired on KPAC 88.3 FM on Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 7 p.m.
