Camerata Pacifica started the New Year with the first of two programs on their Baroque series curated by acclaimed flutist Emi Ferguson at Colburn School’s acoustically-sound Zipper Hall. It was titled Emergence.
The concert was anchored by J.S. Bach’s famous Two-Part Inventions during this intimate program that had the stage set up like Bach’s living room and featured Ferguson on traverso and celebrated and accomplished classical and jazz keyboardist Dan Tepfer on a rarely-heard amplified clavichord (Bach’s favorite instrument). The other two compositions were one by Bach called Partita Recomposed and another by Antonio Bonporti – Selections from Inventions Opus X.
This program displayed both familiarity and surprise as it created an interesting dialogue between Baroque traditions and contemporary jazz improvisation.
When Tepfer began playing Bach’s opening invention, the first notes were instantly recognizable, but then Tepfer transitioned to a pairing of Bach’s original music with his own improvised jazzy inventions in the nine missing keys. The chemistry and synergy between these two different styles played simultaneously was remarkable and unique. The audience was rocketed into a new dimension.
Rounding out the program, Ferguson joined Tepfer for duo inventions by Bonparti, pieces that were misattributed to Bach for centuries, before performing her own creative re-invention of Bach’s Partita for solo flute.