The project Bach on the beat is inspired by the spirit of JS Bach's instrumental works for solo instrument and offers a resolutely contemporary approach to their musical expression. By combining the sounds of baroque instruments, the hip-hop energy of beatboxer Tiko and the minimalist writing of composer Clément Walker-Viry, the quartet of artists offers a timeless and poetic reinterpretation of JS Bach's music. Augmented and sequenced by a “looping” device, the melodies of the venerable Baroque master come close to the world of electro music, within a resolutely contemporary aesthetic framework.

Bach on the beat reexamines the relationship between historically-informed performance and contemporary creation, asking a question that might seem like an oxymoron: is it possible to make “modern” early music? Or rather: is “adapted” baroque music more likely to attract a broader audience, younger and more diverse, than typical “art music”? It is important to remember that J.S. Bach only ever played “contemporary music”, and that his creative process was shaped by the desires and expectations of his time.

Rediscovering this repertoire’s spontaneity and sharing it is Bach on the beat’s mission! Rhythms, colors, and energy are the highlights of this creative and surprising project which blurs our reference points and crosses boundaries.

Note of intent from Clément Walker-Viry :

With the writing of Fragments, commissioned by the Concert de l'Hostel Dieu, the initial idea was to take a striking element from Bach's work – a motif, a melody, a harmony – and use it as the starting point for a new composition. Prelude, minuet, sonata. I like to work from the memory of this music, its emotional imprint, which inspires new creation. The integration of the looper into the writing process creates a direct link with the world of electronic and minimalist music, using the concept of loops that overlap like musical bricks, creating a moving sound structure. Baroque instruments and beatboxing weave together a dialogue between past and future. In concert, each musician interacts live with the motifs they record, enriching the timbres and textures. The looper becomes an extension of the musician, an echo of their instrument, a double with which they gradually build a living, multi-dimensional work.