J.S Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.3 BWV 1048

In mathematics, we can find beautiful music. In beautiful music, we can find mathematics. Spirals of melody, circular structures, sequences, patterns. The debut album by the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conveys all this invention, this momentum, this bliss, in the foundational sounds of analogue synthesisers. But before we get to the inspirational work of Archimedes, let’s loop back to the beginning.
Will Gregory’s love affair with the Moog began in childhood with a cherished copy of Wendy Carlos’ Switched-On Bach. Later, in his 20s, he bought a Minimoog, and started improvising with it. “It was such an expressive instrument – I absolutely loved it,” he remembers now. “...the raw quality you could get from it, when its low frequencies could sound like an animal, or like the sound of the sea.” This was at a time when digital music was dominant, “so it felt good to have an analogue beast fighting against the tide.”
Two decades later he used it on Goldfrapp’s debut album, Felt Mountain, and while out driving, he heard some of Switched-On Bach again on the radio, and was catapulted back to his past; He was reminded about this instrument, and wondered how it could be used to play live in an ensemble of mono synths, with other synthesiser players that he had met on his travels.
Ever since, the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble – at times, comprising of up to fourteen players in total – have played small gigs and festivals. Heat Ray is their first original album together, made in collaboration with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.