Curt Sydnor and Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) play the Goldberg canons of J.S. Bach

Bach Artillerie is an absurdist take on the nine canons from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations and his Brandenburg concerto no. 5. Inspired by 20th century Bach interpreters like Wendy Carlos and the Swingle Singers, the canons are arranged for live synthesizers and drums while the concerto movements are reimagined and rendered via MIDI technology, showing the potential for fully human and fully computer-based reimaginings of these peak musical compositions.

Sydnor and Saunier tracked the album on March 31, 2025 immediately following the Big Ears Music Festival at the Knoxville studio of engineer Jake Smith. Saunier created his parts using only Bach’s keyboard notation and later created the MIDI arrangements of Brandenburg Concerto no. 5 to complete the album. Musical introductions and transitions were supplied by Sydnor who recorded his parts live on analog synthesizers. Some arrangements were crafted in the studio and some minor overdubs were added later.