Bach: Complete Keyboard Concertos (Import)

Mahan Esfahani’s mammoth project to record the complete keyboard works of Bach reaches its zenith with The Complete Keyboard Concertos. At every stage in the series Esfahani has sought to challenge long-held assumptions about the composer we seek to know.

By teaming up with the Britten Sinfonia, he dispels any assumptions that the harpsichord might be seen as an ‘ancient’ instrument, eschewing period instruments in favour of modern ones. In his typically scholarly but engaging liner notes Esfahani writes of Bach the trendsetter putting the keyboard front and centre in a concerto for the first time.

In addition to his roles as harpsichordist and director, Esfahani adds a compositional feather to his cap with the first recording of his own reconstruction of the “lost concerto” No 8 (BWV1059), once available only as a small fragment. Tracklisting: CD1: Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 1 in d-Moll BWV1052 1. Allegro 2. Adagio 3.

Allegro Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 2 in E-Dur BWV1053 4. [untitled] 5. Siciliano 6. Allegro Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 3 in D-Dur BWV1054 7. [untitled] 8. Adagio e piano sempre 9. Allegro Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 6 in F-Dur BWV1057 10. [untitled] 11.Andante 12.Allegro assai CD2: Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 4 in A-Dur BWV1055 13.

Allegro 14. Larghetto 15. Allegro ma non tanto Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 5 in f-Moll BWV1056 16. Allegro 17. Adagio 18. Presto Tripelkonzert in a-Moll BWV1044 19. Allegro 20. Adagio ma non tanto e dolce 21. Tempo di alla breve Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 7 in g-Moll BWV1058 22. [untitled] 23. Andante 24.

Allegro assai Konzert für Tasteninstrument Nr. 8 in d-Moll BWV1059 25. Allegro 26. Cembalo ad libitum 27. Presto