title

Sebastian

year of composition

2025

duration

15′

commissioned

by the korean national symphony orchestra

instrumentation

1(=picc).0.1.1-1.0.1.0-hpd-1.0.1.1.1

performance

• june 4, 2025 | seoul, south korea

abel quartet

korean national symphony orchestra academy

program note | jaebong rho, composer

We don’t know for certain what name Bach’s family and close ones used to call him during his lifetime, but it was most likely Sebastian, his middle name. While “Bach” today stands as a towering symbol in the history of music, “Sebastian” evokes someone more personal, more human. This piece traces a journey through that name—reaching back toward the musical roots of the man behind the legacy.

The work begins with what is believed to be Bach’s final composition, Vor deinem Thron tret’ ich hiermit (BWV 668), and ends with the Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother (BWV 992)—one of his earliest pieces, written during his youth as a farewell to his brother. Between these two, the inner movements move in reverse through the major periods of Bach’s life—Leipzig, Köthen, Weimar, and Arnstadt—drawing and reworking excerpts from each era to explore the richness and layers of his musical world. This journey is not just a retrospective, but an invitation to hear how Bach’s legacy continues to echo across time—open to reinterpretation and renewal.