B.A.C.H. Martin Fröst

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Goldberg Variations, BWV 988:
• 1 Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé) 04:49
• Sinfonia in G Major, BWV 796 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler):
• 2 Bach: Sinfonia in G Major, BWV 796 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler) 00:47
• Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg):
• 3 Bach: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) 02:26
• St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244:
• 4 Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: No. 62. "Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden" (Arr. for Clarinets and Cello by Martin Fröst) 01:16
• Orchestral Suite No.3 in D Major, BWV 1068:
• 5 Bach: Orchestral Suite No.3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé) 04:48
• Invention No.10 in G Major, BWV 781 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst):
• 6 Bach: Invention No.10 in G Major, BWV 781 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst) 00:46
• French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816:
• 7 Bach: French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: III. Sarabande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) 03:59
• Sonata for Viola da Gamba in D Major, BWV 1028:
• 8 Bach: Sonata for Viola da Gamba in D Major, BWV 1028: I. Adagio (Arr. for Clarinet, Cello, and Bass by Martin Fröst, Anastasia Kobekina and Sebastien Dubé) 01:54
• Pastorale in F Major, BWV 590:
• 9 Bach: Pastorale in F Major, BWV 590: III. Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Theobo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) 02:43
• Invention No.4 in D Minor, BWV 775 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler):
• 10 Bach: Invention No.4 in D Minor, BWV 775 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler) 00:55
• French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816:
• 11 Bach: French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: I. Allemande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) 03:15
• Prelude in D Minor, BWV 851 (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé):
• 12 Bach: Prelude in D Minor, BWV 851 (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé) 01:23
• Johann Sebastian Bach, Charles Gounod (1818 - 1893): Ave Maria (Meditation on the Prelude by J. S. Bach) [Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Martin Fröst]:
• 13 Bach, Gounod: Ave Maria (Meditation on the Prelude by J. S. Bach) [Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Martin Fröst] 02:34
• Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 335 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theobo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg):
• 14 Bach: Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 335 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theobo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) 01:33
• Invention No. 6 in E Major, BWV 777 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst):
• 15 Bach: Invention No. 6 in E Major, BWV 777 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst) 03:15
• Prelude in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872 (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé):
• 16 Bach: Prelude in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872 (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé) 02:17
• Largo (after Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056) [Arr. for Clarinet and Piano by Martin Fröst and Benny Andersson]:
• 17 Bach: Largo (after Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056) [Arr. for Clarinet and Piano by Martin Fröst and Benny Andersson] 03:05
• Total Runtime 41:45

Info for B.A.C.H.

Acclaimed Swedish clarinettist and conductor, Martin Fröst is proud to announce his brand-new album, B.A.C.H. dedicated to the music of JS Bach. Bach’s music has fascinated Fröst throughout his life, being enchanted and beguiled by its intimate form, even at a very young age. Although Bach never encountered the clarinet, this has proved no barrier for Martin Fröst, who has returned to Bach’s music time and time again throughout his illustrious career. In the past, Fröst devised performance programmes entitled "Beyond All Clarinet History" (B.A.C.H.), which intertwined Bach’s timeless melodies with new arrangements and he returns to this original idea here with sparkling new interpretations both for clarinet and a variety of other instruments, such as bass, cello, and theorbo that form the linchpin of his new "B.A.C.H." album, to be released by Sony Classical on October 24, 2025.  

"B.A.C.H." was recorded in an extraordinary setting: an old wooden chapel set in the Swedish countryside, purchased, restored, and turned into a studio and concert venue by Fröst himself and which provided the perfect environment for this extraordinary musical adventure which features a range of fascinating artists including Sebastien Dubé — double bass, Göran Fröst — viola, Anastasia Kobekina — cello and Jonas Nordberg — lute alongside a special guest appearance by Benny Andersson of ABBA on piano on the closing track.

Martin Fröst has spoken openly about his experience living with Ménière’s disease — an inner ear disorder — and it was during a particularly intense bout of the illness that he suddenly experienced the desire to perform JS Bach’s music again. Working in the converted chapel together with his brother, viola player Göran and alongside some close and trusted musician friends, Martin Fröst and the team crafted the arrangements as they rehearsed and by Christmas 2024, they were ready to record. It was an intense process, whereby everyone involved lived, ate, rehearsed, recorded and slept in the chapel, even producer, Hans Kipfer, who took up residence in the choir loft for the duration.  

The choice of JS Bach’s music for the recording is based on some of Fröst’s favourite pieces that have been with him constantly throughout his own musical expeditions. The Prelude in C major, BWV 846, heard here in the form of the Ave Maria, is a remarkable musical exercise — both musically and technically — since one cannot play the clarinet for two minutes and forty-six seconds on a single breath. It’s a piece Fröst has been playing for as long as he can remember. The track also features the much-lauded young cellist Anastasia Kobekina, who features throughout a great deal of the recording. 

With this unique, inventive album, Martin Fröst guides the listener through the enduring landscape of Bach's music. It is an album born of moments of challenge, unexpected discovery, and profound collaboration. Its narrative of connection and the sheer joy of the music and of the collective music-making will hopefully resonate keenly with all who listen.

Martin Fröst, clarinet
Sebastien Dube, double bass
Göran Fröst, viola
Anastasia Kobekina, cello
Jonas Nordberg, lute, theorbo
Benny Andersson, piano

Martin Fröst
Undoubtedly one of the most outstanding wind instrumentalists of today, Martin Fröst future highlights include debuts with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchester, Orchestre National de France, Detroit Symphony and Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber, Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig, Bamberger Symphoniker and NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, plus return visits to the Rotterdam Philharmonic and Luzerner Sinfonieorchester. He also returns to the Australian Chamber Orchestra following a substantial tour of Europe with them last season, and embarks on a major European tour with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta performing Weber and Copland in May 2013. Last season Martin Fröst performed with the Wiener Symphoniker, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Minnesota Orchestra (all under Osmo Vänskä), Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Gustavo Dudamel), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen as well as the Tonkünstler, Oslo and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic orchestras. In August 2012 he made his debut at New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto under the direction of Louis Langrée.

Keen to expand the existing clarinet concerto repertoire, Martin has personally championed Anders Hillborg’s Peacock Tales (which incorporates elements of mine and dance), Kalevi Aho’s Concerto (commissioned for him by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust) and Rolf Martinsson’s Concerto Fantastique. 2012/13 sees him premiere a new concerto by Bent Sørensen with the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and Cologne’s Philharmonie under Michael Schønwandt.

A keen recitalist and chamber musician, Martin Fröst gave five concerts as part of a major residency at Cologne’s Philharmonie in 2010/11 including a dance programme ’Double Points’ with violinist Janine Jansen. In 2011/12 Fröst performed in venues including London’s Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw, the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, Berlin’s Konzerthaus and the Vienna Konzerthaus. He has a long-standing association with the Verbier Festival, and this season not only appears at the festival but also with the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Schloss Elmau and on tour around Asia.

Fröst regularly collaborates with such musicians as Leif Ove Andsnes, Janine Jansen, Julian Rachlin, Thorleif Thedéen, Roland Pöntinen and the Belcea and Apollon Musagète Quartets. Upcoming chamber appearances include performances at the Schubertiade and a series of concerts with Marc-André Hamelin and Anthony Marwood in Boston, San Francisco and London’s Wigmore Hall.

Fröst conducted a series of concerts with the Oslo Philharmonic last season, as well as conducting programmes with Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Norrkoping Symphony orchestras plus Swedish and Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. Future conducting dates include projects with Detroit Symphony and Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.

Martin Fröst is the Artistic Director of the Vinterfest in Mora, and of the International Chamber Music Festival in Stavanger, Norway. He has an extensive discography for BIS, with whom he has an exclusive contract; his recent CD ‘Dances to a Black Pipe’ received substantial critical acclaim.

This album contains no booklet.