In an audacious move that reclaims Bach's monumental work from the piano, harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani has released a recording of The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 that is nothing short of a revelation. This is not a mere historical exercise; it is a vibrant, intellectually charged, and profoundly musical argument for the harpsichord's rightful place at the heart of this repertoire.
Esfahani's approach is both scholarly and wildly inventive. He treats the 24 preludes and fugues not as a monolithic set of technical exercises but as a diverse and dramatic collection of miniatures, each with its own unique sound world. His mastery of the harpsichord's colours and textures allows him to articulate contrapuntal lines with a clarity that is often lost on the modern piano.
A Triumph of Clarity and Contrapuntal Genius
The recording's greatest strength lies in its breathtaking transparency. Esfahani's deft touch and nuanced use of registration make every voice in Bach's complex fugal writing sing with individual character. Listeners will hear inner melodies and harmonic details they never knew existed, offering a fresh perspective on even the most familiar pieces.
Far from being dry or academic, the performance is infused with a compelling rhythmic vitality. Esfahani employs subtle agogic accents and a fluid sense of pulse, bringing a dance-like energy to the preludes and a gripping architectural logic to the fugues.
More Than a Performance: A Philosophical Stance
This album is a powerful artistic statement. It challenges the 19th-century Romantic tradition of interpreting Bach through the lens of the piano's sustaining pedal and singing tone. Instead, Esfahani presents a vision of Bach that is crisp, articulate, and rhythmically driven—a vision that many scholars believe is closer to the composer's own intentions.
The result is a recording that feels simultaneously authentic and startlingly new. It is a testament to Esfahani's status as one of the most thoughtful and compelling musicians of our time, an artist who respects the score while fearlessly imprinting it with his own profound musical intelligence.
