After Bach

Released in 2018 on Nonesuch Records, After Bach represents a formal culmination of Brad Mehldau’s lifelong engagement with the music of J.S. Bach. The project originated as a commission from Carnegie Hall and several other international venues, titled 'Three Pieces After Bach.' The album’s structure is its most defining feature: Mehldau performs four preludes and one fugue from Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, each followed by an original 'After Bach' composition that uses the preceding piece as a thematic or structural springboard. The recording took place at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, a venue renowned for its superior acoustics, which contributes to the album’s hi-fi, crystalline sonic character. While Mehldau has long incorporated classical counterpoint into his trio work, this solo effort strips away the rhythmic support of drums and bass, forcing the listener to focus entirely on his polyphonic dexterity. The album was met with high critical praise for its ability to bridge the gap between baroque precision and modern jazz's harmonic freedom without feeling like a gimmick.