Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord
| J.S. BACH |
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
|
In the polarized world of classical music, where battles often rage over issues of interpretation and authenticity, Mahan Esfahani is the rare harpsichordist known for mesmerizing performances of both early music and contemporary repertoire. The acclaimed Persian American musician is an unapologetic champion of the harpsichord, devoted to restoring the Baroque mainstay to what he sees as its rightful place at the center of concert music. Esfahani has been praised for his crisp articulation and a thrillingly dynamic style on an instrument that famously resists extremes.
This Cal Performances at Home recital, featuring Bach’s beloved Goldberg Variations, will be filmed at the Bach Archive in Leipzig, Germany, the city in which the composer wrote this timeless music nearly 280 years ago. Today, the piece is most-often heard on piano but it was originally composed for Esfahani’s instrument: “[He] feels like the harpsichord’s answer to the young Gould—exuberant, antisentimental, bracing” (The New Yorker).
The Cal Performances at Home Spring 2021 season is dedicated to Gail and Dan Rubinfeld, leading supporters of Cal Performances and the well-being of our artists for almost 30 years.
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Premiere Watch Party
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Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord
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Video
Beyond the Stage
by Victoria Looseleaf, February 22, 2021, San Francisco Classical Voice
The Scotsman’s David Kettle once hailed Mahan Esfahani’s performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations as a “deeply human experience, brimming with humor and wit, cool objectivity, deep tragedy, and startling joy.” And while most live performances in the States have been cancelled due to COVID-19, the Iranian-born, American-raised Esfahani, who currently lives in Prague, recently filmed the masterwork for a Cal Performances concert that will be available for viewing online beginning March 4 for three months.
