Mahan Esfahani – Press

“Esfahani excelled in it all”

“another concert intriguingly programmed and engagingly delivered”

“I’ve never heard the harpsichord played with such fiery energy. Esfahani offered a completely new perspective… watching his entire body move with each note felt like I was watching a performance that, while entertaining, felt truly authentic in his expression of the music.”

“Emerging in this series is a conviviality evident in both the chatty presentation and raw spontaneity in performance.”

“Esfahani’s playing feels free and spontaneous without losing the underlying pulse of the music. The toccatas display their brilliance proudly. One can imagine the young Bach showing off his prowess just like this.”

“There were virtuosic works: Esfahani launched powerfully into the crunchy chromaticism of the Fantasia in C minor BWV 906, but there were also moments of repose and beauty, especially the encore, Stölzel’s Bist Du Bei Mir from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook.”

“The resolute quality Esfahani brought to that final movement, very much a finale here in character, would surely have been admired by at least a couple of Richters: Karl and Sviatoslav alike.”

“Even without using all of the gadgetry, he creates a plethora of expressions, through give and take in tempo, and cleverly judged ornamentation.”

” Listening to this Iranian-American wheeling at speed through 16th and 17th-century English delights is as exhilarating a musical experience as I know.”

“…the focus was Bach: four Duets, the C minor Partita and the Overture in the French Style, all played with an attentive ear for counterpoint and colour.”

“Poulenc’s Concert champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra was fronted by Mahan Esfahani, who enjoyed a natural repartee with the RNS in a scintillating performance. “

“He demonstrated extraordinary virtuosity, combining technical dexterity with deep understanding of the musical and philosophical possibilities offered by the work. It was a privilege to be present for this very special recital.”

“…one who made a real mark on this event was Mahan Esfahani. His way of clarifying and making musical sense of the antics of the cadenza from Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 was a genuine highlight of this very long day.”

“…I suppose that in a sense we don’t really understand any of the music we love. Didn’t Stravinsky say that he felt music rather than having understood it?”

“Until the harpsichord has the presence that any other mainstream instrument has, my work isn’t done.”

“Harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani visits Azerbaijan, to explore how the creation of a border in 1828 shaped two very different musical cultures.”