The Japanese forest xylophone that plays Bach

April 16, 2020

This video is about a decade old, but one I thought is perfect for the current times. Many of my friends are taking comfort in going for walks or even hanging out in their gardens for some quality time with nature. I’ve also noticed a lot of my musician friends on social media are turning to the music of JS Bach, either to play privately, or to post videos online. While seeking nature is an obvious salve, and I personally take comfort in Bach’s music, I found myself asking exactly why. It’s complex and simple, uplifting and calming … for whatever reason, I am attracted to his music, regardless of my mood.

Bach was religious, and much of his musical output was influenced by his Lutheran faith. Regardless of your own beliefs, Bach’s music appeals to a lot of people across the board.

A 2010 Cannes Lion Award winner, this video was shot in over four days in Japan to advertise a newly launched cell phone (NTT Docomo). The shell of the phone was wood and the concept here was using domestic wood left over from the maintenance of the forest. The music is JS Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” .

Liz Parker is The New Classical FM’s Digital Content Editor. She’s also a piano teacher and stylist, who is spending the lockdown cooking like episodes of “Chopped”. She is mom to furbaby feline #HisMajestyMomo.