This Saturday saw the premiere of inspirational harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani’s new arrangement of Bach’s monumental “Art of Fugue”, performed at the BBC Proms by the Academy of Ancient Music, directed from the keyboard by Mahan himself. Mahan has been described in the Guardian as giving performances that are “always insightful and, above all, visceral” playing with fingers that are “ferociously nimble”, and this Prom was no exception, with reviewer Fiona Maddocks commenting “Harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani’s arrangement of The Art of Fugue, premiered by Esfanahi and members of the Academy of Ancient Music, made Bach’s counterpoint glisten so brightly you could imagine – faint hope – you could comprehend its intricate workings.”
The concert can be heard on the BBC iPlayer by clicking here, and you can see some interviews and footage made during the final rehearsals for the concert by clicking here and here. Mahan has also been interviewed on BBC’s Radio 3 “In Tune” and Radio 4 “Front Row” and you can “Listen Again” by clicking here and here.
This coming season will be an exciting one for Mahan with solo recitals at Wigmore Hall, Wiener Konzerthaus, the Flanders Festival in Bruges and on tour in Japan, as well as further projects directing the Academy of Ancient Music, the Hanover Band, B’Rock and the Odense Symphony Orchestra. He will also make his debut recording for Hyperion Records in 2013.
