‘Bach to Folk’ new album by Lodestar Trio, label ARC Music, in Peaceful Radio Show 1506
7 September 2022 Artists
Click on photo for ARC Music’s webiste.
The starting point for many creative partnerships often comes from a chance
encounter that ignites a spark. Sometimes this spark might be bright but
fleeting, like a shooting star. Other times the spark grows into something radiant
and long lasting.
Lodestar Trio possess many traits that signify this is the beginning of a fresh,
exciting and enduring collaboration. The three luminaries involved – Max
Baillie, Olav Luksengård Mjelva and Erik Rydvall – are individually all highly
sought-after musicians from seemingly different worlds but who share a
common desire to explore and seek new challenges.
British-German violinist Max Baillie is a former graduate of the Yehudi
Menuhin School and although steeped in the classical tradition, he’s gained a
reputation for being an avid collaborator, working with a variety of musicians
including Steve Reich, John Williams, Bobby McFerrin and Björk.
Olav Luksengård Mjelva plays the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle and
he’s a founding member of the Norwegian-Swedish band Sver, Nordic
Fiddlers Bloc, and he also plays in an award-winning duo with the third
member of Lodestar: Erik Rydvall. Erik plays the nyckelharpa, a keyed
fiddle synonymous with Swedish folk music. His various collaborations have
included playing with a Swiss flamenco dance group.
The genesis of Lodestar Trio dates back some years, when Olav and Erik were
working on their third release while elsewhere Max was searching for a new
creative collaboration.
Bach to Folk
A friend sent Max a video of Olav and Erik playing together and he was
immediately struck with sense of siblinghood for these “mystical magical
Scandinavian string instruments.” His curiosity deepened when he saw another
video of the pair playing Bach’s Inventions.
A self-confessed Bach fanatic, he decided to send them an email to enquire if they
might be up for collaborating. The response, he reports, was a Nordically concise
“yes”, so some months later, Max flew to Røros in central Norway to meet Olav
and Erik.
Following three intense days of jamming and improvising, the three hit it off and
Lodestar Trio was born. But then the pandemic struck and everything was put on
hold, until August 2021 when travel became possible again and the trio were
finally able to record Bach to Folk in a church in Røros. The result is a stunning
debut that showcases not just the exquisite musicianship of these three artists but
also offers fresh interpretations of the baroque repertoire, in particular Bach. It’s
an album that will appeal to fans of Bach, baroque, Nordic folk music and, also,
simply to anyone who has an appreciation of beautifully-played string music.
“To our knowledge,” says Max, “these specific three instruments have not played
this kind of music together before, and each has a distinct sound of its own that
complement each other.”
The music showcased on the album is not as unconnected as it might first appear,
as Max explains: “Bach was very much in touch with folk traditions. He was so
rooted in local culture; he bridges the divine and the earthbound. It’s transportive
but also super earth-bound music.”
Unlike Max who grew up playing Bach, Olav and Erik’s relationship with the
composer is more recent. “Challenging yourself is a big part of it,” says Erik,
although playing Bach on his standard nyckelharpa proved impossible.
So, he commissioned a special custom-made nyckelharpa from Esbjörn Hogmark,
one of the master makers of the instrument. “What we’re trying to do in this
project is make baroque and folk music meet, drawing from the various different
traditions,” explains Olav.
What enthrals Max about this particular collaboration with Erik and Olav is that
they have “a really cool mix of paying tribute to an old tradition, keeping alive
a culture of music-making that is centuries old, but doing so in a way that
brings out new qualities.” So even on some of the most familiar pieces such
as ‘Air from Orchestral Suite no 3 BWV 1068’ there’s a refreshing joyfulness to
the music, enhanced by the occasional click of the nyckelharpa keys and the
reedy sound of the Hardanger fiddle.
Over half of the tracks on the album are movements taken from Bach’s solo works
for violin and cello, but the trio also revisit three more of Max’s favourite baroque
pieces. François Couperin’s ‘Les Barricades Mystérieuses’ was originally written for
harpsichord and it’s a Thomas Adès’ arrangement for bass clarinet, viola, cello
and double bass that inspired Max to try it out with Lodestar Trio.
There’s also Jean-Baptiste Lully, master of French baroque and the “life-loving
tune” ‘Loure from ‘Alceste’ Orchestral Suite’, from his opera Alceste. Finally, some
early Italian baroque from Tarquinio Merula and a version of ‘Ciaccona’ that Max
had previously played with the Gambian kora player Sura Susso. It’s a tune that
skips along, with the silky tones of the violin combining with the drone-like sound
of the Hardanger and the more robust gravelly resonance of the nyckelharpa.
In addition to the baroque tunes are several original compositions including
‘Hjaltaren’, written by Olav. This was also the first tune that Max heard Erik and Olav
play and it’s a real highlight on the album. There’s also ‘Jubileumspolska’ written
by Erik, and originally commissioned by the folkBALTICA festival in Flensburg.
The newest composition is ‘Rolling to Røros’ composed by Max on his journey to
Norway to record the album.
The trio’s deep sense of connection belies the fact that this is still a very new outfit,
but the mutual respect for each other is abundantly clear. The fact that Max is
embedded in the baroque repertoire means “there’s no danger of getting lost,” says
Erik. “It’s like going into the wilderness with Survivor,” he laughs. “Max is so rooted to
this music. He’s so full of knowledge but so open to play with it. For me that’s quite
unique to meet a person like that.”
Max agrees: “it’s difficult to find people you really click with musically, so I think we
really lucked out. As I get older, I’m trying to do less but more deeply and in a more
committed way. I really appreciate this trio as it really excites me, gives me a lot of
joy and I really believe in it.”
As their name suggests, Lodestar Trio hope to provide light and inspiration for others,
yet ultimately to have fun while doing so. As Erik concludes “right now it is enough to
just give this music wings.”
Jo Frost
1. Musette from English Suite no 3 BWV 808
Johann Sebastian Bach
This lovely, lilting tune is from one of Bach’s songbooks that he crafted for his second wife,
Anna Magdalena. It has a hurdy-gurdy style drone that runs underneath a lovely folk melody.
2. Ciaccona
Tarquinio Merula
Max first heard this effervescent baroque piece when he was in Senegal. It was a recording
by the Italian group II Giardino Armonico, and he immediately fell in love with its motion,
virtuosity and life-affirming energy! Max started to explore different versions of this piece,
one being with the Gambian kora player Sura Susso, and thought it would work well with
Hardanger fiddle and nyckelharpa. In this Lodestar Trio version, the Hardanger fiddle and
violin share the intricate and virtuosic melodic parts, and a middle section with improvisation
and riffs has been added before returning to the original ending.
3. Allegro Assai from the C major Violin Sonata BWV 1005
Johann Sebastian Bach
This is one of the more folky movements for solo violin, the last movement from the great
C major solo sonata. This version features Erik playing the original bubbling line on the
nyckelharpa and Olav and Max adding counter melodies and counterpoint, along with
some harmony parts. To find out what worked they played it over and over, really getting in
the groove and trying out different versions till they found this one.
4. Gavotte II from 6th Cello Suite BWV 1012
Johann Sebastian Bach
This is one of several movements of the 6th Bach Suite that Lodestar Trio play on this album. In
the middle of this Gavotte there is a beautiful folk melody, over a drone, so lyrical and sweet
– maybe Bach had folk instruments in mind when he wrote it…
5. Hjaltaren
Olav Luksengård Mjelva
This evocative piece was Max’s introduction to Olav and Erik; Max saw them playing it on
Youtube and was blown away. This mystical tune, composed by Olav, makes a beautiful
contrast to some of the other songs on the repertoire.
“Hjaltaren is a tribute to Shetland. Shetland used to belong to Norway until 1472. Back in
those days, it was called Hjaltland. I have a lot of Shetland friends and play there with one
of my other bands, so the island is close to my heart, plus Hjaltland is a cool name.” – Olav
6. Sarabande in D from 6th Cello Suite BWV 1012
Johann Sebastian Bach
This piece was also originally for solo cello piccolo, the 6-string relative of the violoncello.
The Sarabande movements in the Bach Suites, and also the solo Partitas for violin, are often a
spiritual centre, an expressive meditation between more upbeat movements. This one is no
exception: it’s got so much grace and poise. It’s hard to play on one instrument, but much
easier on three! They switch the melodies for the repeated sections to offer a new sound,
each instrument taking the melody in turn.
7. Loure from ‘Alceste’ Orchestral Suite
Jean-Baptiste Lully
This tune is from an orchestral suite by French baroque composer Jean-Baptiste Lully. Max
choreographed the whole suite into a Brazilian capoeira ballet about ten years ago with the
Aurora Orchestra.
“This tune always struck me for its celebratory joy! We wanted to include a few more pieces
that weren’t by Bach, so as to get a nice balance, and I thought this one would be perfect in
a version for nyckelharpa and Hardanger fiddle and viola.” – Max
8 & 9. Traditional Norwegian Minuet I & II
Traditional
These minuets originate from Norway during the Baroque era and were found in a book by
Erik J. Haugen from Røros, Norway in 1781. Lodestar Trio play from some old facsimile scripts
which just have the tunes, while adding their own harmony and voicing.
“It’s interesting to hear what was being composed elsewhere in Europe during the Baroque
era. Each one is like a little story.” – Max
10. Rolling to Røros
Max Baillie
Max wrote this tune on the way to record the album last August.
“Erik and Olav each had an original tune in the setlist and I didn’t want to be left out! It is
inspired by my Scottish roots; I took manuscript paper with me on my way to Røros and wrote
it on the plane, trying to capture the motion of travel and the simple excitement of going to
meet the other band members for the first time since the start of the pandemic, which was
almost two years before.” – Max
11. Air from Orchestral Suite no 3 BWV 1068
Johann Sebastian Bach
This is one of the most-loved tunes by Bach. Although his music is beautifully melodic, he’s
not famous for his melodies in the same way that, for example, Beethoven was. But this tune
has an incredible melody that just floats over the walking baseline… pure magic! Lodestar
Trio loves the freedom to ornament and improvise around the written melodies, like players
would have done in Baroque times. Erik and Max swap melodies and basslines throughout, like a dialogue. You can hear the complimentary tone of the two instruments, each
one distinct and bringing a different quality to the music, while Olav plays the middle line.
12. Bourée from E major Violin Partita BWV 1006
Johann Sebastian Bach
This is an earthy movement from the E major solo partita for violin. Max, Eric and Olav have
added an intro and outro and play it in a jazzy swing style, with improv countermelodies.
They like to make this one ‘groove and bubble’ so play one version of the tune in unison,
like a fiddle band playing a folk tune.
13. Sarabande in C from 5th Cello Suite BWV 1011
Johann Sebastian Bach
This weird and evocative piece is from the dark and foreboding C minor Suite by Bach. It’s
totally unique alongside the other Sarabandes by Bach, and seems to come almost from
another world. It’s so contemporary and angular, yet lyrical at the same time. Lodestar Trio
wanted it to stand out from the other pieces by alternating solo and unison, and as a point of
mysticism from which the album could re-emerge…
14. Les Barricades Mystérieuses
François Couperin
This is originally a harpsichord piece. Max played the Thomas Adès arrangement for strings
and wind and it inspired him to set it for the trio. The parts all intertwine here with Olav
featuring on Hardanger fiddle in accompaniment with Max and Erik.
15. Prelude from 6th Cello Suite BWV 1012
Johann Sebastian Bach
This is the opening movement of Bach’s 6th Suite. It was one of the first pieces Lodestar Trio
tried together when they first met, and it really clicked! It seems to bring out the folky, forward
rolling groove and the ‘fiddle band’ sound, adding harmony but also lots of unison playing.
Bach’s great uncle was a miller from Hungary and settled in what became Lower Saxony.
He used to play the cithrinchen (a lute-like instrument, played with a plectrum) while the mill
was grinding his flour. “A pretty noise the pair of them must have made! However, it taught
him to keep time, and that is apparently how music first came into our family.” This quote is
from the book published by the Bach family (first edition edited by Johann Sebastian himself)
about the family.
“I find it amazing because it’s not what you might expect the origins of music in the Bach family
to be… And it highlights the importance of groove and rhythm in Bach’s music, which is one
thing Lodestar Trio is really into… the idea of Baroque music as groove-based music.” – Max
16. Jubileumspolska
Erik Rydvall
A true celebration to uplift anyone’s spirits.
“I wrote this tune when I was “Artist in Residence” at the folkBALTICA festival in Flensburg
2019. The festival was celebrating their 15-year anniversary so I wrote an uplifting and joyful
anniversary polska (Jubileumspolska) for the event.” – Erik
17. Deliverance
Olav Luksengård Mjelva
This particular piece by Olav wasn’t originally planned to be on the album, but it features
here as a fitting conclusion as Lodestar Trio have often played it at the end of their sessions.
“Deliverance is a tune I wrote after spending a couple of weeks playing schools in the north
of Norway during the winter. It was dark the whole tour until the final day, when the sun finally
returned. Deliverance.” – Olav
Many thanks
“Many Thanks to Julia Beyer and the whole Naxos team, to Jim Unwin,
and to all Lodestar Trio fans!” – Max, Olav and Erik
“I want to thank my nyckelharpa luthier Esbjörn Hogmark” – Erik Rydvall
Band Members:
Max Baillie – violin (and viola for tracks 7, 13 & 14)
Olav Luksengård Mjelva – Hardanger fiddle
Erik Rydvall – nyckelharpa
Recorded at RØROS Church, Røros, Norway
Musically directed by Lodestar Trio
Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Jim Unwin
Final mastering by Diz Heller
Introduction by Jo Frost
Song descriptions by Max Baillie
Front cover booklet photo by Sabrina Dallot-Seguro
Inside booklet photos by Ard Jongsma (www.stillwords.com)
Album design by Milla Clarke & Max Baillie
Product creation by Sarah Wanstall
℗ 2022, ARC Music Productions International Ltd.
© 2022, ARC Music Productions International Ltd.
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