Mahan Esfahani - Bach: Goldberg Variations (2016)

I cannot deny that I find a great deal of narrative and life beyond the score when I play [the Goldberg Variations]. Coming in the last decade of the composer s life, they offer us a view both of someone looking back on his decades-long aesthetic transformation and of an innovative and sensitive musician responding to new trends and techniques around him. –Mahan Esfahani

From the spine-tingling opening measures of the exquisite Aria to the final variation, Esfahani took us on a magical musical journey. (…) He brought something new, fresh, revolutionary even, to this music, showing Bach s rich and varied tapestry of writing, from muted to playful, glittering to mannered, exquisite and delightful, stately and melancholy, spooky and jazzy, and, at times, positively contemporary –bachtrack.com on Esfahani s BBC Proms 2011 recital with the Goldbergs )

Harpsichord star Mahan Esfahani approaches one of the greatest masterpieces of the Baroque repertoire with fresh eyes:
Bach s incomparable Goldberg Variations, which he presents in a unique virtuosic way

The release coincides with the start of Esfahani s major five-season Bach project at the prestigious Wigmore Hall on 21st December 2016:

Mahan Esfahani has made giant strides to bring the harpsichord into the mainstream of concert life.
Over the next five seasons Mahan explores Bach s works for harpsichord, opening with the Goldberg Variations, a masterpiece of great virtuosity, beauty and vast inventive range written for two-manual harpsichord in 1741.

Tracklist:
1. Aria
2. Variatio 1 a 1 Clav.
3. Variatio 2 a 1 Clav.
4. Variatio 3 a 1 Clav. Canone All'unisono
5. Variatio 4 a 1 Clav.
6. Variatio 5 a 1 Ovvero 2 Clav.
7. Variatio 6 a 1 Clav. Canone Alla Seconda
8. Variatio 7 a 1 Ovvero 2 Clav. Al Tempo Di Giga
9. Variatio 8 a 2 Clav.
10. Variatio 9 a 1 Clav. Canone Alla Terza
11. Variatio 10 a 1 Clav. Fughetta
12. Variatio 11 a 2 Clav.
13. Variatio 12 a 1 Clav. Canone Alla Quarta
14. Variatio 13 a 2 Clav.
15. Variatio 14 a 2 Clav.
16. Variatio 15 a 1 Clav. Canone Alla Quinta. Andante
17. Variatio 16 a 1 Clav. Ouverture
18. Variatio 17 a 2 Clav.
19. Variatio 18 a 1 Clav. Canone Alla Sesta
20. Variatio 19 a 1 Clav.
21. Variatio 20 a 2 Clav.
22. Variatio 21 a 1 Clav. Canone Alla Settima
23. Variatio 22 a 1 Clav. Alla Breve
24. Variatio 23 a 2 Clav.
25. Variatio 24 a 1 Clav. Canone All'ottava
26. Variatio 25 a 2 Clav. Adagio
27. Variatio 26 a 2 Clav.
28. Variatio 27 a 2 Clav. Canone Alla Nona
29. Variatio 28 a 2 Clav.
30. Variatio 29 a 1 Ovvero 2 Clav.
31. Variatio 30 a 1 Clav. Quodlibet
32. Aria Da Capo