Fred Thomas: Three Or One
ECM New Series

While not necessarily designed to be broached as such, Fred Thomas's Three Or One acts as a terrific Johann Sebastian Bach primer. The British multi-instrumentalist has transcribed twenty-four of the composer's organ chorale preludes, vocal cantata movements, and orchestral sinfonias into a solo piano or trio form that makes the prospect of entering his monumental realm a less intimidating and considerably easier proposition. That supplemental bonus aside, the recording on its own immediate terms offers no small amount of listening rewards, especially when the performances are often delicate, the music soothing, and the mood serene.

Thomas is certainly qualified to take on the project. The list of artists with whom he's collaborated is lengthy and his discography includes albums that slot into both classical and jazz genres. Classical piano studies began at the age of five, eventually leading to studies in jazz piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music, where he also indulged interests in African and Latin American music, free improv, contemporary classical, and Baroque music. Though Three Or One is his ECM New Series debut as a leader, he preceded it with an appearance as pianist and drummer on Elina Duni's 2020 ECM Records release Lost Ships.

Half of the pieces derive from Bach's Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book), the rest from various sources, including five cantatas and two from Schübler Choräle. On the trio settings, the pianist is joined by Kazakh violinist Aisha Orazbayeva and British cellist Lucy Railton, versatile players who are generally associated with contemporary composition and bring an invigorating energy to the project. The reformulations aren't outrageous exercises in provocation; instead, they're respectful but not overly reverential, and the results unfailingly musical. A smart balance is achieved between honouring the original material and elaborating upon it, and the improvisatory dimension that's at times suggested is consistent with its presence in baroque music. Recognizing that musicians of that era added to the notated text, Thomas argues, “Baroque musicians shared a clear understanding of what the interpreter must contribute” and thus applies a similar openness to Three Or One.

Bach's customary elegance and formal artistry are in full blossom, perhaps exemplified most evidently in the graceful counterpoint of the trio settings, and with only three voices interacting, it's possible to monitor the trajectory of each individually whilst also easily noting how the parts conjoin. All but three of the twenty-four pieces are under four minutes, making for concise statements shorn of excess. The range of moods is generous too, with sober, hymnal expressions punctuated by an occasional reverie. Though they represent a microcosm of the whole, Thomas's solo flights are memorable, his nimble rendition of the “Aria” from Herr, gehe nicht in's Gericht mit deinem Knecht a highlight and his rendering of the same from Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ disarmingly eloquent.

January 2022