The Silent Howl present:

electrofeit by Fred Thomas

JS Bach – organ works

 

Fred Thomas’ electrofeit is a collection of ‘counterfeited’ Bach organ works. Through creative use of multi-track recording, Thomas magnifies and highlights the beauty and expressivity of the Bach works. The production of the pieces starts with the recording of the complete fugue, with all voices in tact. As the studio composition progresses individual voices are replaced or ‘overdubbed’, this continues until all the voices have been substituted and the original ‘template’ is superseded by the overdubs. Individual voices within the fugue are revealed through separation, highlighting the dramatic consequences of the music – the voice as protagonist/antagonist for example or as leader/follower. Indeed, these recordings subtly reveal the adroit qualities that are often veiled within the detail of the fugue.

The organ in St. Paul’s Hall has an extended range of timbres that have been meticulously mixed, employing various studio techniques such as panning, distance, eq, et cetera, to showcase the depth of Bach’s music and faithfully express Thomas’ unique vision of the organ pieces. The album has been wonderfully mixed by jazzman Alex Bonney with a nuanced transparency that is breath taking; a heavy hand here would have severely marred the delicate quality of the performance. This recording, on The Silent Howl, offers a very modern twist on a glorious selection of JS Bach’s organ works.

Amongst several sources of inspiration for this album, three are predominant:  a love affair with church organs, Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” and Glenn Gould’s obsession with technology and how it relates to classical music.

The Silent Howl is delighted to be able to offer this a public release via bandcamp and most other major services.

electrofeit is available as a limited edition CD, a digital download & can be streamed from the usual outlets

http://thesilenthowl.bandcamp.com/album/electrofeit