Abel Selaocoe Shares Reflective Interpretation Of Bach's Sixth Suite, Sarabande
Pioneering Cellist, Vocalist and Composer’s New Album Celebrates the Sound of Cultural Evolution
Hymns Of Bantu Arrives February 21 on Warner Classics
Watch the Video / Listen To “Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012 - IV. Sarabande (Arr. Thomas for Cello & String Orchestra)” HERE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwFFx_Y2AbA
November 22, 2024 - South African cellist, composer, improviser and vocalist Abel Selaocoe — who implements umngqokolo, a form of overtone singing into his music — proudly blends together genres for a sound and performance style that is unlike anything else. Today, he unveils the latest preview of his forthcoming album, Hymns of Bantu out February 21, 2025 on Warner Classics. Selaocoe’s fresh interpretation of Bach's Sixth Suite, Sarabande, arrives complete with an entrancing live performance video. Watch/listen here: https://w.lnk.to/hbantu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwFFx_Y2AbA
While his 2022 debut album Where is Home (Hae ke Kae) had a restless, searching feel, Hymns of Bantu feels more like a homecoming in that it “speaks of an idea of celebrating those that have come before us,” says Selaocoe. With that realization — that home can be felt in the past as much as the present — Selaocoe breathes and takes stock, before the cycle of ancestral recall and renewal repeats again. While Selaocoe’s formal training was studying western classical in the UK, his work challenges classical archetypes earning him praise in what’s already been a breakout career from the NY Times and the Guardian, who says he takes a “groove-orientated approach to classical,” and he’s hosted his own BBC Proms among many other accomplishments.
Here the Sarabande from Bach’s Sixth Suite is transformed in character. Arranged by Fred Thomas for cello and romantically tinged string orchestra, Selaocoe has put a mesmerizingly operatic tone on the piece for a yearning new take.
Last month Selaocoe released “Emmanuele,” a traditional hymn reimagined for working people. After a stylish opening bassline, “Emmanuele” blossoms into a grooving hub of rhythms competing joyously, before switching focus to a solo Selaocoe, who cycles through his wide vocabulary of vocal clicks, cries and overtones. Selaocoe and his Bantu Ensemble also recently performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and Selaocoe continues on the road this month with two performances in London’s Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre.
Revisit “Emmanuele” here: https://w.lnk.to/emman + https://youtu.be/foRRJP013o4
Ultimately Hymns of Bantu is an album aiming to highlight the shared universalities of people, the healing power of song, and allowing one to draw constant inspiration and understanding from those who came before us. With voice and cello as a vessel, Hymns of Bantu characterizes a vast array of human beings and invites a freeing, deep listening experience.
For more information, contact Shore Fire Media
ctaillie@shorefire.com - Chris Taillie
gfleisher@shorefire.com - Grace Fleisher