J.S.Bach reinvented | Summer School

J.S. BACH REINVENTED

Grant McLachlan, composer, Department of Music, University of Cape Town

Monday 20–Wednesday 22 January  3.00 pm  COURSE FEES R330; Staff and students R165

‘… not all musicians believe in God, but they all believe in Bach.’

Argentinian composer, Mauricio Kagel

The enigmatic composer, J.S. Bach, has loomed large over the musical world for the last three hundred years, and hardly a composer has been left untouched. But what is remarkable is how so many composers have not merely been profoundly influenced by Bach’s music, but have gone a step further to transform it into something relevant for their own time. From Gounod to Jacques Loussier, Busoni to Wendy Carlos, Bach has been reinvented time and time again. Yet the fundamental integrity and identity of Bach’s originals always shine through.

What is it about Bach that has this effect on composers? This course takes participants on a journey to try to find the answers. The first lecture discusses the enigma of Bach: where did this music come from, and why is it so universally loved? The next lecture looks at Bach’s influence in the nineteenth century where the music is unapproachable and immeasurable by ordinary standards. Finally, Bach is considered as a man for all genres in modern times.

Lecture titles

The enigma of Bach
Bach in the nineteenth century
Bach in modern times

TO BOOK: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/performance.aspx?itemid=1554717659

Grant McLachlan is a South African composer based in Cape Town who holds master’s degree in composition from King’s College, London, and a film music degree from Bournemouth University. Grant spent nearly 20 years in England during which time he composed extensively for chamber ensembles and for choirs. Since returning to South Africa in 1994, Grant has specialised in composing for natural history films, and has scored music for more than 120 wildlife and feature film productions over the last 3 three decades. He has composed for many broadcasters, including the BBC, National Geographic, Smithsonian, Animal Planet, Discovery, ZDF, NKH, Terra Mater, and many more.Other films Grant has composed for include Cosmic Africa (best music, Stone awards); Faith Like Potatoes; Killer Whales; The Megahunt; and 2099: The Soldier Protocol; a documentary on the penguins at Boulder’s Beach called City Slickers. Since 2020, Grant has been presenting lectures for the UCT Summer School, exploring music in human, emotional and scientific contexts.