Cd - Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen: "Stairway to Bach - rock classics with a hint of Bach"
In 1974, I wrote a review with the headline "Bach subjected to a washboard?". The point was that there were no limits to what the old Baroque music could be subjected to, but also that the music can withstand it. I still believe this after an even longer life with Bach, whom I consider the greatest composer in history, no matter how you measure it. Bach lived 1685-1750. My yardstick is that Bach's music has a spiritual/mental/religious content, the depth of which is unmatched by others, and which I otherwise find difficult to explain further. But it gives the music a sustainability, expansiveness, universality, and almost immortality that I otherwise do not acknowledge for art. You can hardly ruin Bach, because there is an enormous amount of jazz, rock, and other elements in his music. The organist Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen, who after positions at, among others, Frederiksborg Palace Church and Løgumkloster Church, two prestigious positions, is now a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, has released an album CD titled "Stairway to Bach". Here he plays music by The Doors, Savage Rose, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Procol Harum, and others, that is, big rock names that in one way or another are "indebted" to Bach. They have all played or been inspired by him, but Bach remains the one - Amen! It's a spectacular task Mikkelsen embarks on when he returns rock to Bach's main instrument, the classical organ. What happens then? Something wonderful, beautiful, almost divine, is the short answer. You have to know both Bach and the great rock groups to truly appreciate how respectfully Mikkelsen approaches the matter. He never falls into one ditch or the other; the balance between the classical and the rhythmic is fine. Yet it's as if he points out the elements in the old music that made the rock folks adopt Bach back in 1967-75, from which the songs are drawn. A rather short span in Bach's 340-year lifespan so far, but enough to see differences and similarities. Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen has arranged it himself, and interpretations become monumental in his hands and gain new life in their own right. Mikkelsen plays on one of Denmark's best organs created by Marcussen & Søn in 1946 in Denmark's best and most beautiful concert hall, Radiohuset on Rosenørns Allé, which is now home to the Royal Danish Academy of Music. It couldn't be a better choice - for Bach, his rock friends, and the enthusiastic Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen. The CD could easily become an international hit.
PS: The reviewer was an organist substitute in several churches in North Jutland from 1968-1978 and always improvised over the popular Beatles hits of the time. It was well received by the congregation... Evanthore Vestergaard April 10 2024

https://kulturen.nu/musik/cd-bachrock/

Danish version
Cd - Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen: "Stairway to Bach - rockclassics with a hint of Bach"
I 1974 skrev jeg en anmeldelse med overskriften "Bach udsat for vaskebræt?". Pointen var, at der ikke var grænser for, hvad den gamle barokkers musik bliver udsat for, men også, at musikken kan tåle det.
Det mener jeg stadigt efter et endnu længere liv med Bach, som jeg anser som historiens største komponist, uanset hvordan man måler det. Bach levede 1685-1750.
Min målestok er, at Bachs musik har et åndelig/mentalt/religiøst indhold, hvis dybde ikke kendes hos andre, og som jeg i øvrigt har svært ved at forklare yderligere. Men det giver musikken en bæredygtighed, rummelighed, universalitet og næsten udødelighed, som jeg ellers ikke anerkender for kunst. Man kan næsten ikke ødelægge Bach, for der er enormt megen jazz, rock og andet i hans musik.
Organisten Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen, der efter ansættelser ved bl.a. Frederiksborg Slotskirke og Løgumkloster kirke, to prestigiøse stillinger, nu er professor ved Det Kgl. Danske Musikkonservatorium, har udgivet et album CD med titlen "Stairway to Bach". Her spiller han musik af The Doors, Savage Rose, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Procol Harum m.fl., altså store rocknavne, der på den ene eller anden måde "står i gæld" til Bach. De har alle spillet eller ladet sig inspirere af ham, men Bach er og bliver det - Amen! Det er en spektakulær opgave, Mikkelsen begiver ud i, når han giver rock'en tilbage til Bachs hovedinstrument, det klassiske orgel. Hvad sker der så? Noget forunderligt, smukt, næsten guddommeligt, er det korte svar.
Man skal kende både Bach og de store rockgrupper for virkeligt at opleve, hvor respektfuldt Mikkelsen går til sagen. Han falder aldrig i den ene eller anden grøft, balancen mellem det klassiske og rytmiske er fin. Alligevel er det som om, at han peger på de elementer i den gamle musik, der fik rockfolkene til at annamme Bach dengang i 1967-75, som sangene er hentet fra.
Et ret kort spand i Bachs indtil videre 340-årige levetid, men nok til at se forskelle og ligheder.
Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen har selv arrangeret, og fortolkninger bliver monumentale i hans hænder og får nyt liv i deres egen ret.
Mikkelsen spiller på ét af Danmarks bedste orgler skabt af Marcussen & Søn i 1946 i Danmarks bedste og smukkeste koncertsal, Radiohusets på Rosenørns Allé, der nu er hjemsted for Det Kgl. Danske Musikkonservatorium.
Det kunne ikke være et bedre valg - for Bach, hans rockvenner og den begejstrede Sven-Ingvart Mikkelsen. Cd'en kan snildt blive et internationalt hit.
PS: anmelderen var 1968-1978 organistvikar i flere nordjyske kirker og improviserede altid over tidens kendte Beatles-hits. Det gik rent ind hos menigheden...