Review – Luister

Jan-Willem Rozenboom is typically a pianist who moves happily and without any embarrassment between pop and classical music. For twenty-five years, he has been the resident pianist for Guus Meeuwis, co-composing hits like Brabant and Tranen gelachen (Tears of Laughter). Meanwhile, the man who once graduated cum laude from the conservatory is busy with Bach.

A few years ago, he already broke the classical silence with an equally surprising and surprisingly good recording of the Goldberg Variations, and now that album has a sequel with Seven Transcriptions. Rozenboom used the performing restrictions of the COVID years to transcribe Bach works that were not originally written for keyboards. This resulted in beautiful pieces in the spirit of Bach, including works like the Prelude pour La Luth BWV 998, the Largo from the Sonata for solo violin BWV 1005, and the soprano aria Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben.

Rozenboom also dared to tackle the famous Chaconne from the Partita in D minor, using Johannes Brahms’ piano arrangement for the left hand as his starting point. A beautiful, virtuosic achievement that Rozenboom delivers with complete conviction.

Especially for Guus Meeuwis and Brabant fans, he added his own fugue on the theme of the hit Brabant which has grown into an evergreen as a bonus. It is above all further proof that Rozenboom has Bach completely in his fingers and in his spirit.