While the harpsichord had its heyday in the 18th century, it's still a vibrant instrument and very much alive. Mahan Esfahani includes an angular, jazzy 1951 piece -- a tour de force across the two keyboards -- in his Tiny Desk recital.
, which share the same key but couldn't be more opposite in personality. With elaborate curlicue ornaments in both hands, the opening sonata presents a sober, regal outlook. Its partner is a flamboyant rocker, with the hands chasing each other across the two keyboards like a cat and mouse.
Esfahani made sure to also include a modern piece. Mel Powell's angular and slightly jazzy"Recitative and Toccata Percossa," from 1951, is a tour de force in this artist's hands. It drives home a point he likes to make — that while the harpsichord had its heyday in the 18th century, it's still a vibrant instrument and very much alive."There are over 50 modern concertos for the harpsichord," he told the audience.
Returning to the baroque, Esfahani closed with a little-known chaconne by Johann Pachelbel. Its steady bassline and colorful variations were a pleasant reminder of the composer's one-hit claim to fame," ." Although the music stopped there, Esfahani's performance continued as he stayed for a while behind the desk, happily regaling the harpsichord-curious on the finer points of the instrument.
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