On McKinney Music, “the best independent music magazine in the UK“, Apostolos Paraskevas surprises us with a brand-new recording that features J. S. Bach music rather than any of his own compositions.
“The Romantic Bach”
Is there a requirement for yet another Bach recording? If not, why not? Especially if that comes from a contemporary composer and performer who has created and innovated for a lifetime. Apostolos Paraskevas surprises us with a brand-new recording that combines his long-term love affair with J. S. Bach. Following his recovery from focal dystonia in 2013, a neurological condition that prevented him from performing for four years, The Romantic Bach is his second audio and video recording. The previous one, Phoenix, came out in 2018. This time, the baroque composer’s tenderness and romanticism are reflected in his approach and interpretation.
Dr. Apostolos Paraskevas
Dr. Paraskevas, a filmmaker and musician who also teaches at Berklee College of Music, recorded four enormous Baroque works by Johann Sebastian Bach on a guitar made by Hermann Hauser in 1957. These works were originally written for cello, harpsichord, lute, and violin but were later transcribed for the classical guitar. These works are Suite for Cello/Lute, BWV 1011/995, Suite No 1 for Cello, BWV 1007, Partita No 2 for Violin, BWV 1004-Ciaccona, Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro for Lute or Harpsichord BWV 998. On May 14, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. EST (New York), the video will debut on the YouTube channel. The recording is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and other digital platforms.
Apostolos Paraskevas is a composer, a guitarist and an award-winning filmmaker. He has gotten numerous global honors for his works, and has been nominated for a Grammy Award. Over a dozen recordings of his music have been made. His symphonic music has been performed all over the planet in famous venues like Carnegie Hall, Athens Hall, Weill Hall, Jordan Hall, St. Petersburg, and Capella and Glinka Lobbies/Russia by various orchestras. He started the International Guitar Congress Festival of Corfu, Greece, where he was artistic director for 16 years. He is a professor of music at Berklee College of Music and a voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammys).