Eldbjørg Hemsing: Colors of Bach
Eldbjørg Hemsing
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Release Date: 16/01/2026
For 'Colors of Bach', violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing has teamed up with renowned arrangers Tim Allhoff, Jan-Peter Klöpfel, and Jarkko Riihimäki to explore the sonic essence of some of Bach's most iconic melodies. Together they have created contemporary arrangements for solo violin, string quintet, piano, and harpsichord, uncovering new colours in 20 of Bach's compositions spanning genres from chorales and organ works to solo piano pieces and violin sonatas. Some arrangements introduce fresh harmonic contexts, while others experiment with entirely new instrumentations. For instance, the dense and melodic arrangement of the 'Organ prelude in C Major' seamlessly transitions to a virtuoso solo violin and string orchestra rendition, creating a new and captivating musical experience. 'Air' takes on the elegance of an Italian concerto, while the beloved 'Erbarme Dich' from the 'St. Matthew Passion' is reimagined as an intimate instrumental ballad. These inspiring arrangements highlight the adaptability and timelessness of Bach's music, resulting in a striking kaleidoscope of musical colors. 'Colors of Bach' was recorded in the studio of the Oslo Opera House with an all-star ensemble featuring some of the city's finest string players: 1st violin Elise Båtnes (Concertmaster, Oslo Philharmonic), 2nd violins Liv Hilde Klokk-Bryhn and Maria Carlsen (Oslo Philharmonic), viola Ida Bryhn (Principal Viola, Oslo Philharmonic), cello Louisa Tuck (Principal Cello, Oslo Philharmonic), and bass Kenneth Ryland (Principal Bass, Oslo Philharmonic). Tim Allhoff joins on piano, with Christian Kjos on harpsichord.
1: Bach Partita Variation (After Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV100: I. Preludio)
2: Ertönt Uns Durch Dein Güte Variation (After Jesus Nahm Zu Sich Die Zwölfe, BWV22, No. 5: Ertöt Uns Durch Dein Güte)
3: Ave Maria Variation (After the Well-tempered Clavier I: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV846: I. Prelude)
4: Minuet in G Major Variation (After Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, BWVAnh.116, No. 7: Menuet in G Major)
5: Concerto in a Minor Variation (After Violin Concerto No. 1 in a Minor, BWV1041: II. Andante)
6: Melancholy Variation (After Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C Minor, BWV1060R: III. Allegro)
7: Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben Variation (After Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben, BWV147: VI. Wohl Mir, Daß Ich Jesum Habe)
8: Air Variation (After Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV1068: II. Air)
9: Bach Brandenburg Concerto Revisited (After Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV1046: I. Allegro)
10: Ich Steh an Deiner Krippen Hier, BWV469
11: Aria Goldberg Variation (After Goldberg Variations, BWV988: Aria)
12: Prelude in C Major Variation (After Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV553: I. Prelude)
13: Es Ist Gewisslich an Der Zeit Variation (After Nun Freut Euch, Lieben Christen Gmein, BWV734)
14: Invention in F Major Variation (After Invention in F Major, BWV779)
15: Organ Sonata Variation (After Organ Sonata No. 4 in E Minor, BWV528: II. Andante)
16: Befiehl Du Deine Wege Variation (After Matthäuspassion, BWV244, No. 53: Befiehl Du Deine Wege)
17: Erbarme Dich, Mein Gott Variation (After Matthäuspassion, BWV244, No. 47: Erbarme Dich, Mein Gott)
18: Ich Ruf Zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ Variation (After Ich Ruf Zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV639)
19: Concerto in D Minor Variation (After Concerto in D Minor, BWV974: III. Presto)
20: I. Allegro
21: II. Adagio
22: III. Allegro Assai
23: Choral Aria Variation (After Widerstehe Doch Der Sünde, BWV54: I. Aria)