Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: Mahan Esfahani
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Hyperion
Catalogue: CDA68401-2
Release: 2023
Size: 5.59 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812
01. I. Allemande
02. II. Courante
03. III. Sarabande
04. IVa. Menuet I
05. IVb. Menuet II
06. IVc. Menuet I da capo
07. V. Gigue
French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813
08. I. Allemande
09. II. Courante
10. III. Sarabande
11. IV. Air
12. Va. Menuet I
13. Vb. Menuet II
14. Vc. Menuet I da capo
15. VI. Gigue
French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV 814
16. I. Allemande
17. II. Courante
18. III. Sarabande
19. IV. Anglaise
20. Va. Menuet
21. Vb. Trio
22. Vc. Menuet da capo
23. VI. Gigue
Suite in E-Flat Major, BWV 819
24. I. Allemande
25. II. Courante
26. III. Sarabande
27. IV. Bourrée
28. Va. Menuet I
29. Vb. Menuet II
30. Vc. Menuet I da capo
Suite in G Minor, BWV 822
31. I. Ouverture
32. II. Aria
33. III. Gavotte en rondeau
34. IV. Bourrée
35. Va. Menuet I
36. Vb. Menuet II
37. Vc. Menuet I da capo
38. VI. Gigue
French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815a
39. I. Praeludium
40. II. Allemande
41. III. Courante
42. IV. Sarabande
43. V. Gavotte I
44. VI. Gavotte II
45. VII. Air
46. VIII. Menuet
47. IX. Gigue
French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816
48. I. Allemande
49. II. Courante
50. III. Sarabande
51. IV. Gavotte
52. V. Bourrée
53. VI. Loure
54. VII. Gigue
French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817
55. Ia. Prélude
56. Ib. Allemande
57. II. Courante
58. III. Sarabande
59. IV. Gavotte
60. V. Polonaise
61. VI. Bourrée
62. VII. Gigue
63. VIII. Menuet
Suite in A Minor, BWV 818
64. I. Fort gai
65. II. Allemande
66. III. Courante
67. IV. Sarabande
68. V. Sarabande simple – Sarabande double
69. VII. Passepied
70. VII. Gigue
‘Mahan Esfahani couldn’t make a routine recital of Bach’s keyboard music if you paid him’ was BBC Record Review’s verdict on a previous release: prospective listeners to this wonderful new set should rest assured that any hint of the routine remains as distant a threat as ever.
Recordings of Bach’s French Suites, not so named by the composer, are abundant, but this one made classical best-seller lists in the autumn of 2023. One draw may have been that it includes three suites not generally grouped with the French Suites on recordings; two of these are beset by textual problems, and one, BWV 822, is probably not by Bach at all (it comes down from a late 18th century manuscript that attributes it simply to “Bach”). Keyboardist Mahan Esfahani forthrightly declares that his motivation for including it was that he finds it charming, and indeed it is, but more important are the bold treatments of the canonical works here. Many fresh features have been added to Esfahani’s usual thorny but gripping style. The most immediately apparent is that he uses a clavichord in five of the suites. This is certainly defensible in terms of 18th century practice, even if the clavichord would not have been taken into a church as it is here; it was a domestic instrument. The clavichord was a pandemic-era project for Esfahani, and it will be interesting to see how he develops its use in future Bach projects. It seems to fit well with the crunchy 18th century German tunings used here and with his usual inward but tough style. In the end, it simply adds more colors to the large variety that is always present in Esfahani’s playing. The dance rhythms are there in these readings, but they’re hardly the main thing. Esfahani also draws on a variety of textual sources for most of the pieces, with the result that listeners will be hearing French Suites that have never quite been heard before. However, this is always true with this adventurous player, whose fans will be delighted with this 2023 release.