Oct. 24: Martin Fröst Announces B.A.C.H. – New Album of Works by J.S. Bach Arranged for Clarinet Released on Sony Classical

Martin Fröst Announces B.A.C.H. 
New Album of Works by J.S. Bach Arranged for Clarinet
Released on Sony Classical

Out Today: Aria (Goldberg Variations) BWV 988,
Arr. for Clarinet and Bass - Listen Here

Album Release Date: October 24, 2025
Pre-Order Available Now

“…a virtuosity and musicianship unsurpassed by any clarinettist – perhaps any instrumentalist – in my memory”
– The New York Times

Acclaimed Swedish clarinettist and conductor, Martin Fröst is proud to announce his brand-new album, B.A.C.H. dedicated to the music of J.S. Bach. Bach’s music has fascinated Fröst throughout his life, being enchanted and beguiled by its intimate form, even at a very young age. Although Bach never encountered the clarinet, this has proved no barrier for Martin Fröst, who has returned to Bach’s music time and time again throughout his illustrious career. In the past, Fröst devised performance programmes entitled ‘Beyond All Clarinet History’ (B.A.C.H.), which intertwined Bach’s timeless melodies with new arrangements and he returns to this original idea here with sparkling new interpretations both for clarinet and a variety of other instruments, such as bass, cello, and theorbo that form the linchpin of his new B.A.C.H. album, released by Sony Classical on October 24, 2025. New single, Aria (Goldberg Variations) BWV 988, Arr. for clarinet and bass, is accompanying today's announcement – listen here.

B.A.C.H. was recorded in an extraordinary setting: an old wooden chapel set in the Swedish countryside, purchased, restored, and turned into a studio and concert venue by Fröst himself and which provided the perfect environment for this extraordinary musical adventure which features a range of fascinating artists including Sebastien Dubé – double bass, Göran Fröst – viola, Anastasia Kobekina – cello and Jonas Nordberg – lute alongside a special guest appearance by Benny Andersson of ABBA on piano on the closing track.

Martin Fröst has spoken openly about his experience living with Ménière’s disease - an inner ear disorder - and it was during a particularly intense bout of the illness that he suddenly experienced the desire to perform JS Bach’s music again. Working in the converted chapel together with his brother, viola player Göran and alongside some close and trusted musician friends, Martin Fröst and the team crafted the arrangements as they rehearsed and by Christmas 2024, they were ready to record. It was an intense process, whereby everyone involved lived, ate, rehearsed, recorded and slept in the chapel, even producer, Hans Kipfer, who took up residence in the choir loft for the duration.

The choice of J.S. Bach’s music for the recording is based on some of Fröst’s favourite pieces that have been with him constantly throughout his own musical expeditions. The Prelude in C major, BWV 846, heard here in the form of the Ave Maria, is a remarkable musical exercise—both musically and technically—since one cannot play the clarinet for two minutes and forty-six seconds on a single breath. It’s a piece Fröst has been playing for as long as he can remember. The track also features the much-lauded young cellist Anastasia Kobekina, who features throughout a great deal of the recording.

Fröst has also chosen a few of the Inventions and Sinfonias (BWV 772–801), a collection of short pieces that connect various ideas. Here each piece is treated like an individual miniature, separate from the traditional context of the larger work and with the focus on the unique essence of each Invention, presented here as an invitation for personal exploration and contemplation.

The French Suite was a cherished companion throughout Fröst’s teenage years, and he still draws from it as a wellspring of inspiration for his clarinet playing, finding that its delicate balance of silence and sound resonates deeply within his instrument, forming a profound connection to Bach's music. With every breath, Fröst feels Bach’s essence as a gentle thread spanning time and space.

A truly special track concludes the recording. ABBA's Benny Andersson is a huge fan of classical music and especially the music of Bach. He agreed to join the proceedings, choosing a very special work for which Martin Fröst then composed a contrapuntal part, making for a deeply personal take on the second movement of Bach's Keyboard Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056.

With this unique, inventive album, Martin Fröst guides the listener through the enduring landscape of Bach's music. It is an album born of moments of challenge, unexpected discovery, and profound collaboration. Its narrative of connection and the sheer joy of the music and of the collective music-making will hopefully resonate keenly with all who listen.

Track Listing:

1. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé) [04.49]
2. Sinfonia in G Major, BWV 796 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler) [00.47]
3. Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) [02.26]
4. St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: No. 62. "Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden" (Arr. for Clarinets and Cello by Martin Fröst) [01.16]
5. Orchestral Suite No.3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé) [04.48]
6. Invention No.10 in G Major, BWV 781 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst) [00.46]
7. French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: III. Sarabande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) [03.59]
8. Sonata for Viola da Gamba in D Major, BWV 1028: I. Adagio (Arr. for Clarinet, Cello, and Bass by Martin Fröst, Anastasia Kobekina and Sebastien Dubé) [01.54]
9. Pastorale in F Major, BWV 590: III. Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Theobo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg [02.43]
10. Invention No.4 in D Minor, BWV 775 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler) [00.55]
11. French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: I. Allemande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) [03.15]
12. Prelude in D Minor, BWV 851 (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé) [01.23]
13. Ave Maria (Meditation on the Prelude by J. S. Bach) (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Martin Fröst) [02.34]
14. Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 335 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theobo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg) [01.33]
15. Invention No. 6 in E Major, BWV 777 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst) [03.15]
16. Prelude in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872 (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé) [02.17]
17. Largo (after Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056) (Arr. for Clarinet and Piano by Martin Fröst and Benny Andersson) [03.05]