Martin Frost’s Bach Album: Silkily Eloquent Clarinetist Infuses Freshness and Fun!

It seems that at some point, every renowned musician finds themselves drawn to the works of JS Bach. Although the clarinet as we know it had not yet been invented during Bach’s lifetime, Martin Fröst’s rendition, as smooth and expressive as ever, claims a unique connection to the concise yet delightful pieces featured in this recording.

Recorded in the tranquil setting of Fröst’s studio in the Swedish countryside, this album carries an intimate ambiance, further enriched by the musicians staying overnight. The mood is initially established by the aria from the Goldberg Variations, where Sebastián Dubé’s bass adds a touch of jazz, flawlessly complementing Fröst’s smooth clarinet melody. Fröst performs duets with his brother Göran, a viola player, on two Inventions, and also layers his own performances in the double-tracked G major Sinfonia, a technique few could match in tempo yet maintaining a soft, modest atmosphere.

Jonas Nordberg’s playing of the theorbo brings a fresh perspective to the Air on the G String, avoiding the typical clichés. It is quite surprising when Anastasia Kobekina transitions from traditional baroque cello passages to the rich tones of Gounod’s Ave Maria, with Fröst’s intricate performance of Bach’s Prelude in C underneath. The album concludes on a slightly schmaltzy note as Fröst teams up with Benny Andersson for a deeply reverberant interpretation of the Largo from the Keyboard Concerto No 5. It appears that even Abba cannot resist the allure of Bach’s music.