When Masaaki Suzuki began, in 1993, in the crazy adventure of his complete Bach cantatas, the Westerners who were counting on the success of the japanese chef could be counted easily on the fingers of one hand. The leader had founded his ensemble, the Bach Collegium Japan, less than three years earlier. And made the rounds of record companies, the country of the Rising Sun as well as in Europe, which had all laughed at. All, except one. BIS Records, a label that Swedish directed by Robert von Bahr.

» READ ALSO – Great Mass in c: Masaaki Suzuki declares his love for Mozart

Stung by the curiosity, the latter went to the highlight at the end of a repetition: the determination of the Suzuki, and the depth of his work on the details of each cantata, had chances to take him away. Far more than himself, had without doubt a presentiment of. It is so converted that he agreed to throw his forces into battle at the risk of being during the first few years the laughing stock of his colleagues, who accused him of wanting to sink his own box.

● Prelude and Fugue , Masaaki Suzuki

But the producer held his ground. And large he has done well. Because two decades later, Suzuki and his ensemble, joined by a host of vocal soloists, all of them more excellent than others, were laying the last stone on a monumental building of sixty-three hours, twelve minutes and thirteen seconds of music. A building became a reference in the middle of the lovers of baroque music. And that will probably remain as one of the adventures recording the most improbable and yet the most striking of the end of the CD. A success dazzling to one who has since seen decorated with the medal Bach city of Leipzig.

First steps into the baroque

This, however, is playing the harmonium in the church that the son of amateur musicians had made his first steps into the baroque… prior to being introduced to the harpsichord by a student of Gustav Leonhardt, returned, taught at the university of Tokyo. It is this last that will shows Ton Koopman, master of work with Leonhardt another complete Bach cantatas remained in the memories. And where will the adventure Bach Collegium Japan. That is not surprising, therefore, that the philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France has chosen, after Koopman, to appeal to the japanese chef to deepen its approach to the classical repertoire.

» READ ALSO – The lesson of the gestures of orchestra conductors

In this case Mendelssohn, and Haydn, in the amazing version for harp Concerto for keyboard in d major that will perform as a soloist the charismatic Xavier de Maistre. Proof, if any were needed, that the modern orchestra opens more and more to «interpretations of historically-informed». And that Suzuki has permanently conquered its stripes as a specialist in music baroque and classical.

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