19 JEAN-PHILIPPE COLLARD What guided this choice of transcriptions of organ works, rather than certain works more usually played on the piano? It is inseparable from memories of my youth, when my father, who played the organ in church and also conducted, would come and pull me out of bed on Sunday mornings to play the bass part of a trio sonata. We both played in it. He was passionate about mixing colours and it interested me a good deal because I played the piano and I listened to the way he made solo parts sing. He also improvised, and I had a deep admiration. It was just a few notes, but there was a real connection to the divine, that's for sure. Looking back at my family history has had a considerable impact. This is a tribute to my father; it is my culture. How had you previously approached Bach on the piano? I wasn't really attracted to Bach on the piano until now. I had the sound of the organ in mind, with its church acoustics that are perfect for this kind of music. I wasn't really passionate about aesthetics and style either. I had worked on a few preludes and fugues at the conservatory, more for discipline than for anything else. But a framework existed. Some of the fugues in the first book, for example, were good for me as they helped to discipline my ear and my fingers. At that time, I was studying with Mrs Van Barentzen, who was very keen on us learning Bach. She said that listening to the voices balanced our playing. I have fond memories of that.
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