Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord & clavichord; Carolyn Sampson, soprano.
J.S. BACH: Minuet in F major, BWV Anh. 113
PEZOLD: Minuets in G major / G minor, BWV Anh. 114 & 115
COUPERIN: Rondeau in B flat major, BWV Anh. 183
J.S. BACH: Minuet in G major, BWV Anh. 116
J.S. BACH: Polonaise in F major, BWV Anh. 117
J.S. BACH: Minuet in B flat major, BWV Anh. 118
J.S. BACH: Polonaise in G minor, BWV Anh. 119
J.S. BACH: Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten, BWV 691
J.S. BACH: Gib dich zufrieden, BW V510
J.S. BACH: Gib dich zufrieden, BWV 511
J.S. BACH: Minuet in A minor, BWV Anh. 120
J.S. BACH: Minuet in C minor, BWV Anh. 121
C.P.E. BACH: March in D major, BWV Anh. 122
C.P.E. BACH: Polonaise in G minor, BWV Anh. 123
C.P.E. BACH: March in G major, BWV Anh. 124
C.P.E. BACH: Polonaise in G minor, BWV Anh. 125
J.S. BACH: Erbauliche Gedanken eines Tobackrauchers, BWV 515a, ‘So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife’
BÖHM: Menuet fait par Mons Böhm in G major
J.S. BACH: Musette in D major, BWV Anh. 126
C.P.E. BACH: March in E flat major, BWV Anh. 127
J.S. BACH: Polonaise in D minor, BWV Anh. 128
STÖLZEL: Bist du bei mir, BWV Anh. 508
J.S. BACH: Goldberg Variations ‘Aria mit verschiedenen Veränderungen’, BWV 988 – Movement 01: Aria
C.P.E. BACH: Solo per il cembalo, BWV Anh. 129
HASSE: Polonaise in G major, BWV Anh. 130
J.S. BACH: The well-tempered Clavier Book 1, BWV 846-869 – No 01 in C major, BWV846. Movement 1: Prelude
J.C. BACH: Rigaudon in F major, BWV Anh. 131
J.S. BACH: Warum betrübst du dich?, BWV 516
J.S. BACH: Ich habe genug, BWV 82 – No 2. Recitativo: Ich habe genug
J.S. BACH: Ich habe genug, BWV 82 – No 3. Aria: Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen
J.S. BACH: Schaffs mit mir, Gott, BWV 514
J.S. BACH: Minuet in D minor, BWV Anh. 132
J.S. BACH: Willst du dein Herz mir schenken, BWV 518
J.S. BACH: Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen, BWV 299b
J.S. BACH: Wie wohl ist mir, o Freund der Seelen, BWV 517
J.S. BACH: Gedenke doch, mein Geist, zurücke, BWV 509
J.S. BACH: O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort, BWV 513
J.S. BACH: Jesus, meine Zuversicht, BWV 728
J.S. BACH: Minuet in G major, BWV 841
STÖLZEL: Bist du bei mir, BWV 508
Hyperion CDA68387
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Format: Digital & Physical
Duration: 76:49
Giorgio Koukl | 10 APR 2023
In the universe of recently famed harpsichordists, Mahan Esfahani is surely well known, as is soprano Carolyn Sampson in the world of baroque specialists.
Hyperion CDA68387
Uniting these two talents is only a logical consequence and certainly a delight for the listener.
Doing so on partly-unknown notebooks “for Anna Magdalena Bach” where different sources are united for the pleasure of Johann Sebastian Bach and his family, probably meant for the use of “Hausmusik” so dear in the Northern Europe families, gives to this whole project a unique appeal.
The 40 tracks are fundamentally miniatures, not technically challenging, and probably meant to be used for non-professional musicians.
Nevertheless, the charming melodies, which partly contain some first attempts to write music by Bach’s sons, form an interesting array going from sacred music (“Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten,” BWV691) to a delicious “Erbauliche Gedanken eines Tobackrauchers,” BWV 515a (“The edifying thoughts of a tobacco smoker “), are generally smooth, pleasing, and transmit a certain degree the satisfactory family life the Bach family must have experienced.
Unfortunately, this family musical experience, so common in the last centuries, is now nearly extinguished. Certainly a source of pleasure and at least to some degree of musical knowledge, it was a basis for creating more competent public interest in music generally and a propulsion towards more new musical scores. We might have far more potent technical means to share music today, but the tendency is, unfortunately, to consume the same world music of scarce quality.
Mr. Esfahani uses for this installment two different instruments: a clavichord by Peter Bavington (London), based on a Nuremberg instrument of Silberman school, a fine and pleasant tool for the most petite details. The second instrument is a single manual harpsichord by Miles Hellon, London 1992, based on the two keyboards attributed to Michael Mietke with only two 8-foot registers and a limited range.
Generally speaking, this is an ambit of harpsichords of extreme simplicity but probably chosen as the most adequate tool to express these straightforward scores with the greatest effectiveness.
Both instruments are voiced and tuned splendidly by Miles Hellon following the not-so-common theory of Johann Georg Neidhardt, in which calculations established three unequal temperaments, of which one has commonly been called “Neidhardt’s temperament” and a fourth one: an equal temperament in which the Pythagorean comma has been evenly distributed throughout all 12 fifths. This small change towards the usual tempered tuning gives the listener a sense of fullness or, better said, a subliminal provocation which is absolutely delicious.
Mr. Esfahani has a maniacal attention in his manner to play the grace notes, especially in the refrain sections, and yes, he truly plays them each and all. A fragile texture appears in front of the audience, even in the most known preludes.
But the real highlight of this disc is the voice of Carolyn Sampson.
She is certainly not an unknown artist, but in this selection, she is the real “Diva” with her precise intonation, careful pronunciation, and character she can transmit.
Both artists are greatly assisted by superior recording quality, maybe in the Bach arias, sometimes missing the lead of a good “basso continuo” in the form of a viola da gamba or another adequate instrument.
Generally speaking, this disc is a clear recommendation for anybody who likes baroque music and wants to enjoy simple, easy listening, together with a provocation to try to play these scores in their own family. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Mahan Esfahani: mahanesfahani.com
- Carolyn Sampson: carolynsampson.com
Read more by Giorgio Koukl.
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