Lily Afshar is an artist known for expanding the classical guitar repertoire. ‘Bach on Fire’ continues that tradition by introducing new and innovative guitar arrangements of J S Bach’s Cello Suite Nos 1 & 3, Prelude, Fugue & Allegro (BWV998), Lute Suite No 4, and the famous realisation by Gounod of ‘Ave Maria’.
Afshar’s new versions allow for more interpretive phrasing and dynamic nuance and, ultimately, a more exciting performance. They are the result of many years of experimentation and watching students struggle to play Bach. Knowing that the amount of bass notes and poor fingerings posed a technical challenge for most players, Afshar employed techniques like cross-string fingerings to make the music sound as if it were written for the guitar.
“This recording offers a fresh approach to playing Bach,” Afshar writes in the album’s liner notes. “My purpose is to make Bach accessible to a wider audience and encourage guitarists to play them more. Many others have arranged Bach pieces for the guitar, but my arrangements are quite different.”
Featuring compositions for originally written for lute, cello and keyboard, ‘Bach on Fire’ is a fast and fluid album brimming with familiar, beloved melodies with a twist - the timbre of the classical guitar, the tempi, and the sheer novelty of Afshar’s arrangements.
