After news came that NPR was streaming organist Cameron Carpenter's upcoming album If You Could Read My Mind, anticipation heightened. Last week, thus, Cameron Carpenter had the top-selling classical album in the U.S., beating Benjamin Grosvenor on Decca records.
The flamboyant musician probably found solace in this after he was denied entry into Britain earlier this year.
If you aren't in the know, Carpenter's Sony Classical debut premieres a major component to his persona. His International Touring Organ (ITO) gives him the power to maneuver around classical compositions with a different ear.
No, this isn't some gimmick (maybe) but Carpenter's playing Bach on his latest disc, per Mark Swed at the L.A. Times, is described, "full of joy and daring. Carpenter begins with his own elaboration of the Prelude to Bach's Cello Suite No. 1, a seemingly foolhardy thing to do given Bach's enormous organ literature."
"Yet out of the relatively straightforward transcription on seductively puffy-sounding low stops something wild and weird this way comes, a swinging and outrageously addictive Bach bazaar," he continues.
Carpenter is the King, sure, but his latest on Sony Classical will need just savvy Bach jams to stay number one for long. Not surprisingly, though, Carpenter will find his route.
Until then, here's one off from the album. Keep it coming.
