MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger


Support us financially by purchasing this from

The Passinge Mesures - Music of the English virginalists
Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord)
rec. 2017, Concert Hall, Wyastone Estate, Monmouth, UK
HYPERION CDA68249 [77:43]

The Iranian-American harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani has been the focus of some interest for several years now. I became acquainted with his work through two exceptionally fine albums: Bach's Goldberg Variations, issued on DG, and Rameau's Pièces de Clavecin recorded for Hyperion, the latter favourably reviewed by my colleague Dominy Clements. Esfahani's recordings have garnered many favourable accolades and awards, so I am pleased to be given the opportunity to review his latest offering, again on Hyperion.

In the well-written and informative annotations, by Esfahani himself, he discusses in detail his choice of instruments for this recording. He opted for modern copies, which he refers to as "inauthentic methods" to facilitate an “authentic experience" for the listener. They are instruments he “likes the sound of”. The harpsichord is a two-manual copy after Fleisher of Hamburg, chosen for its range of colour "which evokes the sort of sound world of vocal and instrumental music of the period…". In addition, four of the nineteen tracks are played on a 1989 virginals built by Huw Saunders, a copy of a 1642 Thomas White instrument.

Esfahani offers an interesting programme of diverse works by a variety of composers. The fifteen tracks on the Fleisher harpsichord copy explore music with great potential in terms of dramatic quality, colour and expressive range. The album gets its title from William Byrd's The nynth pavian and galliarde, the Passinge mesures - Book 2. At ten minutes, it is the most substantial work on the disc. 'Passing measures' was the English name for an Italian dance based on the passamezzo antico. Byrd's pavan-and-galliard pair is ingeniously constructed, with magical passing dissonances. Esfahani treats the ornamentation not merely as decoration, but miraculously weaves it into the music's line. The effect is spellbinding.

The programme also provides plenty of pleasing contrast. Tomkins's Barafostus Dreame, a suitable opener, is stately and imposing; the flourishes provide a grand entrance. Gibbons's Pavin, on the other hand, is dreamy and reflective, and radiates inward warmth. Then there is the rhythmic bustle of of Farnaby's Nobodyes Gigge, an intriguing title.

My ears pricked up when I heard track 12, The Scottish gigg, the first of the four virginals tracks. Its rich bright tone ideally suits the good-natured character of this cheery dance. I love the clean and sharp delineation the instrument delivers. Farnaby's Tell mee, Daphne has a courtly charm, and clarity and definition secure favourable results in Variations on the Romanesca.

I always find the Concert Hall, Wyastone Estate, Monmouthshire a warm, sympathetic and pleasing acoustic. It truly lives up to its reputation here. It confers just the right amount of resonance. This is an attractive disc, offering satisfying variety. It wins my whole-hearted recommendation.

Stephen Greenbank
 
Contents

Tomkins: Barafostus' Dream [5:17]
Dowland: Can she excuse my wrongs? (First Booke of Songes, 1597) [2:04]
Gibbons, O: Pavin [4:15]
Gibbons, O: The Wood so wilde [4:10]
Farnaby, G: Fantasia [4:47]
Byrd: The nynth pavian and galliarde, the Passinge mesures BK2 [10:01]
Farnaby, G: Nobodyes Gigge [2:12]
Bull, J: Chromatic (Queen Elisabeth's) Pavan and Galliard [8:04]
Byrd: Ut re mi fa sol la [6:29]
anon.: The Scottish gigg [2:21]
Tomkins: Pavan [5:33]
Farnaby, G: Woody-cock [5:46]
Farnaby, G: Tell Me, Daphne [1:36]
Farnaby, G: Why Ask You [2:14]
Bull, J: Fantasia 'Mr Dr Bull' [5:59]
Inglott: The Leaves bee greene [3:25]
anon.: Variations on the Romanesca [3:21]

 



Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing