Bach &
The Artists

Collaborating in real space and time, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and French artist Silvère Jarrosson will create a work of art before your eyes with the music of JS Bach – played live – as its inspiration.

Ideas of space, balance and symmetry are encoded into the melodies and harmonies Bach composed. So, too, is Bach’s interest in mathematics, physics and astronomy and his humble yet deep religious devotion. It is little wonder that when listening to Bach, we experience such profound emotional responses. 

Using dripping paint and improvised yet graceful movement, Jarrosson – a former ballet dancer with the Opéra National de Paris – will respond to the sonatas, partitas, suites and chorales over the course of an hour-long recital to create a unique work of art based on his instantaneous reactions to Bach’s sublime music. His mission? To unveil the essence of music, render it visible and engage in a conversation that transcends the limitations of words.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra is Jarrosson’s ideal creative partner. Conducted by harpsichordist extraordinaire and Artistic Director Paul Dyer and performing exclusively on period instruments to more perfectly reflect the music Bach and his contemporaries actually heard, the Brandenburg is one of the jewels in Australia’s classical music scene. To hear them play some of Bach’s best-loved works is something on its own. To see that sound translated before your eyes, will be something else again. 

Bach & The Artists is part of Temperament, a week-long celebration and deconstruction of JS Bach that pays homage to the revolutionary advances his music enabled and its influence on modern composers. Explore the full program here.