What’s the story?

Since announcing this project, lots of people have asked me how it came about. 

I’ve wanted to do something with the 48 for some time: it’s the most incredible music, and I feel that I have something to say with it. I’d been chipping away at learning new bits of it over the last few years, in the rare times when there’s not been a more imminent note-learning deadline. 

And then one day I was sitting on a long-distance train – my preferred place of admin and planning – mulling some ideas over, when something possessed me to search how many counties there are in England. I have no idea where the thought came from, and I certainly can’t attribute it to any deeply buried knowledge, as my geographical awareness is famously terrible. But for some reason I just thought I’d google the question…. And up came the answer. 48.

I think that was the moment my fate was sealed! Clearly at that point the project HAD to happen. In fact, I couldn’t believe no-one else had already done it! Maybe they have… but I’ve searched fairly extensively to check, and as far as I can see the idea is a new one.

I’d been struck by the dedication which Bach penned at the top of Book 1, that the music is “for the benefit and use of the musical youth eager to learn, as well as for the special pastime of those already skilful in this study.” (“Zum Nutzen und Gebrauch der Lehrbegierigen Musicalischen Jugend, als auch derer in diesem studio schon habil seyenden besonderem Zeitvertreib”) Clearly the musical youths Bach was working with were pretty capable! This music is certainly not child’s play. But it felt to me that there was something interesting in the idea that he wrote the music to be beneficial (as a workout for fingers and brain, presumably), but also to function as a pastime. The word ‘pastime’ perhaps sounds archaic or frivolous to us today (for me it conjours up medieval madrigals and morris dancing) – but Zeitvertrieb really implies a hobby, an enjoyable thing. In other words, this music might be challenging and rigorous, but it should also be played for the sheer love of it.

The idea of developing the project as a fundraiser also grew from this kernel – and so Project 48 is supporting charities that benefit and create joy for musicians, young or already skilful.

I began building the project a couple of years ago, and even got as far as doing a test-drive of Book 1 complete (exhilarating and exhausting) – but then I had to shelve the project for personal reasons. Fastforward to 2020, and I – like so many other musicians – lost all of my work overnight. For the first time in years I found myself with some thinking space, and the prospect of both planning and practising time. I felt that Bach was one of the few things that helped make sense of the world at this time, and one of the few things I felt inclined to practise during the harder patches of the year. And I obviously saw that the need for supporting musical charities was going to be greater than ever, as they battled through (and supported musicians battling through) one of the worst times the music world has ever seen.

And so it seemed to be the moment to make it all happen! I stayed up until 3am drafting emails and announcements about it all. I got up the next morning, re-read them, and, peering through my fingers, pressed send. The reaction has been wonderful. It seems this thing really is happening!