B.A.C.H., Martin Fröst

Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé); Sinfonia in G Major, BWV 796 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler); Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: No. 62. "Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden" (Arr. for Clarinets and Cello by Martin Fröst); Orchestral Suite No.3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé); Invention No.10 in G Major, BWV 781 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst); French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: III. Sarabande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); Sonata for Viola da Gamba in D Major, BWV 1028: I. Adagio (Arr. for Clarinet, Cello, and Bass by Martin Fröst, Anastasia Kobekina and Sebastien Dubé); Pastorale in F Major, BWV 590: III. Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Theobo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg; Invention No.4 in D Minor, BWV 775 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler); French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: I. Allemande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); Prelude in D Minor, BWV 851 (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé); Ave Maria (Meditation on the Prelude by J. S. Bach) (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Martin Fröst); Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 335 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theobo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); Invention No. 6 in E Major, BWV 777 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst);Prelude in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872 (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé); Largo (after Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056) (Arr. for Clarinet and Piano by Martin Fröst and Benny Andersson)

Martin Fröst (clarinet), Sebastien Dube (double bass), Anastasia Kobekina (cello), Jonas Nordberg (lute), Göran Fröst (viola), Benny Andersson

Sony Catalogue number: 19802814742


Bach never wrote for the clarinet—the instrument was barely emerging from its primitive chalumeau form during his lifetime—yet this has scarcely deterred generations of clarinettists from colonising his vast output. Martin Fröst's relationship with Bach's music stretches back to childhood, and this warmly conceived album represents a deeply personal meditation on works that have accompanied him throughout his distinguished career.

The setting proves as significant as the music itself. Fröst recorded these performances in a wooden chapel nestled in the Swedish countryside, a building he has personally restored and transformed into both a studio and a concert venue. The intimate acoustic provides the perfect environment for these chamber arrangements, lending them a devotional quality entirely appropriate to Bach's original sacred intentions.

Fröst has assembled a constellation of like-minded musicians for this venture: his brother Göran on viola, the much-lauded young cellist Anastasia Kobekina, Sebastián Dubé on double bass, and Jonas Nordberg wielding a theorbo. The album concludes with a special guest appearance from ABBA's Benny Andersson at the piano—an unexpected addition that nevertheless sits comfortably within the disc's genial atmosphere.

The programme opens with the Aria from the Goldberg Variations, enhanced by Dubé's resonant bass line, before proceeding through a sequence of Fröst's personal favourites. The Prelude in C major, BWV 846—familiar to many through Gounod's superimposed Ave Maria—presents particular technical challenges for wind players, demanding breath control beyond normal human capacity. Here, Fröst shares the melody with Kobekina in an arrangement that acknowledges these practical limitations while preserving the music's meditative nature. In Gounod's setting, Fröst adopts the accompaniment role, his delightful rippling figuration supporting Kobekina's lyrical rendering of the famous tune.

Throughout, Fröst's glorious tone remains the album's chief glory—burnished, singing, and remarkably supple across the instrument's range. His versatility is skilful, and his phrasing exquisite. Invention No. 10 proceeds at a cracking pace, demonstrating his technical command, while "Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden" from the St. Matthew Passion achieves genuine poignancy. The Aria from the Pastorale in F proves similarly delectable, with Fröst's colleagues enhancing the textures throughout.

Andersson's contribution to the Largo from the Keyboard Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056, adds a subtle elegance to the proceedings, showcasing a sensitive touch that differs greatly from the glittering pop arrangements that brought him fame.

This is music-making of considerable charm rather than earth-shattering revelation. Fröst and his friends have created one of those albums that invites the listener simply to put it on and relax—a quality not to be underestimated in these fractious times. The arrangements work well, the performances radiate genuine affection, and the recorded sound captures both the warmth of the instruments and the pleasing resonance of Fröst's beloved chapel. A lovely album indeed.