United Kingdom Bach Keyboard Concertos – Bach, Janitsch, Telemann, Marcello: Mahan Esfahani (director/harpsichord), Jacqueline Shave (director/violin 1), Peter Facer (oboe), members of Britten Sinfonia. Wigmore Corridor, 27.3.2024. (CC)

Johann Gottlieb Janitsch – Quadro in G minor, ‘O Haupt Blut und Wunden’
J. S. Bach – Keyboard Concertos: in E, BWV 1053; in D minor, BWV 1059R (reconstructed Esfahani); Keyboard Concerto in A, BWV 1055
Telemann – Violin Concerto in G minor, TWV 51:g1
Alessandro Marcello – Oboe Concerto in D minor, S D935

Following on from a live performance in November 2023, Mahan Esfahani continues his presentation of Bach Keyboard concertos coupled with works by contemporaries of Bach’s; composers that impressed the Grasp and whose items complement him now. Esfahani’s relationship with the Wigmore Corridor is a agency one: he acquired the Wigmore Medal, the youngest individual to take action, in 2022 on the age of 38.

Esfahani combines a ferocious mind and clear love for the repertoire he embraces; his recordings of Bach for Hyperion are justly lauded, How fascinating to start with a chunk by Johann Gottlieb Janitsch (1708-63), a member of the Prussian Courtroom in Berlin; he was subsequently a colleague of one of many nice mavericks, C. P. E. Bach (1714-88). The piece heard right here, Quadro in G minor, is scored for oboe, violin, viola and basso continuo; at instances it feels like a discount of an oboe concerto, and Peter Facer’s oboe was very good in projecting his traces. The subtitle displays the work’s use of the Lutheran Lenten chorale, O Haupt von Blut und Wunden (O Sacred Head Now Wounded) within the work’s spellbindingly lovely third motion (Adagio ma non troppo); the oboe carried the melody, gracefully ornamented, whereas the strings garlanded it with light counterpoint. It is likely to be acquainted to many by way of Bach’s use of the chorale melody (itself by Hans Leo Hassler) within the Matthäus-Ardour. How rigorously this motion was sculpted, Lynda Sayce’s theorbo contribution was significantly noteworthy for its sense of fashion and charm. The sense of chamber music dialog within the second motion (an Allegretto) was palpable; the finale, a Vivace non troppo, poses many challenges. The tightness of ornament is as necessary as tightness of ensemble, and each have been past criticism right here. Though principally within the gallant model, one among Janitsch’s ft appears to stay within the late Baroque; the mixture is miraculous.

Bach’s Concerto in E, BWV 1053, finds its first two actions based mostly on music from the cantata BWV 169: the opening sinfonia and the merely exceptional alto aria ‘Stirb in mir, Welt!’; the finale relies on the Sinfonia from the cantata, BWV 49 (‘Ich geh und suche mit Verlangen,’ which itself encompasses a distinguished organ half). Listening to the concerto performed with single strings (two violins, viola, cello, double bass, plus theorbo) was a revelation: textures have been crystal clear, counterpoint out of the blue made full sense. The harpsichord used clearly had a cease for darkening the sound, successfully used, and the way lovely the shut of the motion. The tempo for the central Siciliano felt good, and the way potent the dissonances felt when put underneath the texture-microscope. Right here, that contrapuntal readability was heard at its greatest. The finale, marked Allegro, maybe bordered on Presto, and labored completely, thrilling, and completely balanced.

(Concerning that cease, by the way, listed below are the main points of Esfahani’s instrument: it’s from the workshop of Jukka Ollikka in Prague. In-built 2018 it’s based mostly on devices by Michael Mietke (Berlin c.1660-1719) however with the hypothetical addition of an additional soundboard for the 16’ register. The cheek space is impressed by Pleyel, designed to indicate the fingers extra simply. It has 4 units of strings, 16’, 8’, 8’, 4’ and two buff stops.)

When it got here to the Concerto No.8, an introduction was required. Bach deserted the rating (for harpsichord, oboe, and strings) after only some bars; right here, that fragment could be traced to the cantata BWV 35. We heard the fragment in isolation earlier than listening to the completion/reconstruction by Esfahani. The addition of oboe brightens the feel; and, as Esfahani himself implied, taking over the duty solely emphasises how a lot we have no idea about how Bach thought. However, this labored fantastically, significantly maybe the bustling finale.

That was a protracted first half; the second was shorter, starting with a Telemann gem: the G minor Violin Concerto with Jacqueline Shave because the high-quality soloist. The combination of the superbly polished, gallant ripieno and the virtuoso violin was completely managed. The work is fascinating: it seems like when the violin enters there’s a sudden spurt of sudden pace, but the ripieno is not going to be cowed into video games, sustaining its quiet dignity always. The Adagio holds a solo violin melody that’s certainly despatched as a present from Heaven itself; Save’s management of line (and bow) was immaculate, as was her consciousness of Affekt when Telemann does present halting suspensions. There’s a near-Bachian rigour to the opening of the finale; a second when the viola (Clare Finnimore) takes on the bassline is pure magic. Telemann is a Grasp of the primary rank, and the way great to listen to that he suffered not a jot in juxtaposition with JSB.

The oboe concertos of Venetian composer Alessandro Marcello deliver assured delight of their wake. Bach organized the Oboe Concerto in D minor for solo keyboard in 1715 (BWV 974). The sense of unity within the opening unison traces contrasted fantastically with the oboe’s florid traces, beautifully delivered by Peter Facer, now in full-on solo mode, projecting completely. The harmonic adventures of the central Adagio, together with its sense of just about glassy strings, was a privilege to listen to, Facer supremely eloquent, touches of rubato round harmonic arrivals and shifts completely calibrated. The well-known finale bounced alongside fabulously, animated and, most significantly, as contemporary because the day it was composed. An actual tonic for any ailing spirits.

Lastly (no encore), the Concerto in A, BWV 1055 in a radiant efficiency. For all the good development of the opening Allegro, it was the flowery keyboard line of the central Larghetto that spoke most deeply, a profound, bejeweled surprise. Maybe the finale felt a bit of swift, dropping a contact of its courtliness,

A live performance of surprise after surprise, subsequently. The Janitsch and the Telemann have been Cartier-like adornments to Bach of the best order, the Marcello a capsule of perfection, and the music by the person himself might hardly ask for finer performances.

Mahan Esfahani and Britten Sinfonia proceed their Bach Cycle with a 3rd live performance at Saffron Corridor and Wigmore Corridor in June 2024 (eighth and twelfth respectively). Whereas Arts Council England may need lower funding, the Britten Sinfonia continues to flourish.

Colin Clarke