Johann Sebastian Bach Víkingur Ólafsson

• 1 Prelude & Fughetta in G Major, BWV 902: 1. Prelude 03:26
• 2 Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein, Chorale Prelude BWV 734 (Transcr. Wilhelm Kempff) 01:51
• 3 Prelude & Fugue in E Minor (Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, No. 10), BWV 855: 1. Prelude 02:03
• 4 Prelude & Fugue in E Minor (Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, No. 10), BWV 855: 2. Fugue 01:16
• 5 Organ Sonata No. 4, BWV 528: 2. Andante [Adagio] (Transcr. by August Stradal) 05:26
• 6 Prelude & Fugue in D Major (Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, No. 5), BWV 850: 1. Prelude 01:02
• 7 Prelude & Fugue in D Major (Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, No. 5), BWV 850: 2. Fugue 01:45
• 8 Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, Chorale Prelude BWV 659 (Transcr. by Ferruccio Busoni) 05:04
• 9 Prelude & Fugue in C Minor (Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, No. 2), BWV 847: 1. Prelude 01:24
• 10 Prelude & Fugue in C Minor (Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, No. 2), BWV 847: 2. Fugue 01:38
• 11 Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54 (Transcr. by Víkingur Ólafsson) 04:26
• 12 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Aria 01:50
• 13 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation I. Largo 01:09
• 14 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation II 00:55
• 15 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation III 00:55
• 16 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation IV. Allegro 00:55
• 17 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation V. Un poco allegro 00:59
• 18 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation VI. Andante 02:06
• 19 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation VII. Un poco allegro 00:47
• 20 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation VIII. Allegro 00:49
• 21 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation IX 01:08
• 22 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Variation X 01:46
• 23 Aria variata (alla maniera italiana) in A Minor, BWV 989: Aria da capo 01:18
• 24 Invention No. 12 in A Major, BWV 783 01:19
• 25 Sinfonia No. 12 in A Major, BWV 798 01:23
• 26 Suite from the Partita No.3 in E Major for Solo Violin, BWV 1006: 2. Gavotte (Transcr. by Sergey Rachmaninov) 02:48
• 27 Prelude & Fugue, BWV 855a: 1. Prelude No. 10 in B Minor (Transcr. by Alexander Siloti) 03:00
• 28 Sinfonia No. 15 in B Minor, BWV 801 01:19
• 29 Invention No. 15 in B Minor, BWV 786 01:11
• 30 Concerto in D Minor, BWV 974: 1. Andante 02:17
• 31 Concerto in D Minor, BWV 974: 2. Adagio 04:10
• 32 Concerto in D Minor, BWV 974: 3. Presto 03:31
• 33 Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu Christ, Chorale Prelude BWV 639 (Transcr. by Ferruccio Busoni) 03:08
• 34 Fantasia & Fugue in A Minor, BWV 904: 1. Fantasia 03:54
• 35 Fantasia & Fugue in A Minor, BWV 904: 2. Fugue 05:13
• Total Runtime 01:17:11

Info for Johann Sebastian Bach

Víkingur Ólafsson ist ein musikalischer Freigeist mit Mission. Schon einmal hat der smarte Interpret die Klassikwelt aufhorchen lassen – das war Anfang 2017, als seine Einspielung der Solo-Klavieretüden von Philip Glass erschien und er in den Minimalstrukturen betörend durch Raum und Zeit wandelte. Auf Glass folgt nun Bach. Im September wird bei Deutsche Grammophon das zweite Album von Ólafsson erscheinen, sein Titel ist Bach und sein Inhalt die virtuose Verschmelzung von Originalwerken Johann Sebastian Bachs und Transkriptionen.

"Ohne Bach wäre alles nichts", sagt Víkingur Ólafsson. »Wenn Glass’ Musik Minimal Music ist, dann ist Bach maximal." Der Pianist hat das kontrapunktische Werk von Bach investigativ erforscht und bringt auf seinem Album die verschiedensten Facetten zum Vorschein. In Auszügen aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier wie dem Präludium und der Fuge in e-Moll BWV 855 oder kontrapunktischen Kleinoden wie der Sinfonia Nr. 15 h-Moll BWV 801 setzt er Bach als "Meister der Kurzgeschichte" in Szene, während die verspielte Aria variata BWV 989 das architektonische Zentrum des Albums darstellt. Spannungsvoll ergänzt werden die Originalwerke etwa durch Rachmaninows Bearbeitung von Bachs Gavotte aus der Partita Nr. 3 für Violine E-Dur BWV 1006, Busonis Transkription des Chorals »Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ« oder eine faszinierende Bearbeitung der ersten Arie aus der Solo-Kantate für Altstimme »Widerstehe doch der Sünde« durch Ólafsson selbst. Wie schon bei Glass offenbart sich Ólafsson als hochintelligenter und innovativer Klangforscher, der sich den gängigen Kategorien behände entzieht und das klassische Genre neu definiert. Schlank und schnörkellos, gleichzeitig ungemein expressiv in seinem Spiel zieht der 34-Jährige in den Bann und fasziniert mit sinnlicher Experimentierfreude und suggestiver Dichte im Ausdruck.

Vikingur Olafsson, Klavier

Víkingur Ólafsson
Possessing a rare combination of passionate musicality, explosive virtuosity and intellectual curiosity, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has won all the major prizes in his native country, including four Musician of the Year prizes at the Icelandic Music Awards as well as The Icelandic Optimism Prize.

Víkingur’s 2016/17 season includes performances with NDR Elbphilhamonie Orchester and Los Angeles Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen, tour with Orkester Norden (Lawrence Foster) and concerts with Iceland Symphony Orchestra (Yan Pascal Tortelier) and MDR Sinfonieorchester (Kristjan Järvi). Since February 2016 he has taken over from Martin Fröst as Artistic Director of Vinterfest in Sweden while continuing in the same role for the award winning Reykjavík Midsummer Music, which he founded in 2012. In recital he will make his debut at Wiener Konzerthaus, Konzerthaus Berlin, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Louisiana Museum for Modern Art Denmark, La Folle Journée Festival as well in Leipzig and at the Istanbul Music Festival.

Víkingur signed an exclusive agreement with Deutsche Grammophon in November 2016. His debut album for DG will feature the piano works of Philip Glass and is set to be released in time for the composer’s 80th birthday in January 2017. In 2015 Víkingur recorded solo works by Igor Stravinsky for the company’s complete works edition of the composer and before that, he released 3 albums on his own label, Dirrindí Music. The first two were solo discs; ‘Debut’, (showing “exceptional perception and depth of maturity,” said EPTA Journal) and ‘Chopin-Bach’ (prompting Piano News Magazine to say “Immense talent … you must listen to this young pianist!”). His third album was a double CD/DVD release of ‘Winterreise’ with bass Kristinn Sigmundsson, which won the Album of the Year award at the Icelandic Music Awards 2012.

Víkingur has premiered five piano concertos to date and worked with composers including Philip Glass, Mark Simpson and Daníel Bjarnason. He has collaborated with leading artists from diverse fields, such as Roman Signer, Lillevan and Yann Malka, and appeared at festivals such as Busoni and Transart (Bolzano), MITO SettembreMusica (Milano) and Nordic Cool (Washington DC). When it comes to his relationships with other musicians, Víkingur has worked with Sayaka Shoji, István Várdai, Martin Fröst, Pekka Kuusisto and Björk.

Away from the concert stage, Víkingur is the driving force behind numerous innovative musical projects. Most recently the classical music television series, Útúrdúr (Out-of-tune), produced for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service in 2013-14, was broadcast to unanimous critical and public acclaim.

Víkingur grew up in Iceland where he studied with Erla Stefánsdóttir and Peter Máté. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Jerome Lowenthal and Robert McDonald.

Booklet for Johann Sebastian Bach