Christopher O’Riley and Matt Haimovitz have a voracious and expansive appetite for a wide range of music from various genres, from Radiohead (Shuffle.Play.Listen) and Pussy Riot (Troika) to Beethoven Sonatas on period instruments (BEETHOVEN, Period.). Both Mr.  Haimovitz and Mr. O’Riley hold Bach in highest esteem among their multivarious musical passions. Bach’s favored keyboard instrument was the clavichord, expressive and intimate, yet so inaudible that its diminutive sonic range poses challenges for the concert hall. With their forthcoming collaboration focusing on Bach’s Sonatas for Viola da Gamba, O’Riley and Haimovitz realize a dream to enter into Bach’s Platonic timbral world. Mr. Haimovitz arranges the Viola da Gamba part for his 5-string baroque cello piccolo – on which he recorded the Sixth Solo Suite of Bach; with the advent of next generation sound sampling, ‘physical modeling’, Mr. O’Riley has amassed an arsenal of virtual/historical instruments, now capable even of vibrato on his digital keyboard, and easily amplified to concert level. O’Riley & Haimovitz perform the three original Bach Gamba Sonatas and C Major Trio Sonata, a virtuoso vehicle highlighting the coloratura high range of the cello piccolo. Solo Preludes and Fugues of Bach from the Well-Tempered Klavier and the Cello Suites, are interstitially arranged to fill out the set. 

Much like their earlier immersion in the Beethoven works for cello and piano, BEETHOVEN.Period. released on the PENTATONE Oxingale Series, their exploration of instruments of the composer’s time has wrought new & unique insights resulting in unprecedented freedom & expressivity making The BACH Dialogues an inevitable & exciting new chapter in their long-standing collaboration.