Mahan Esfahani releases Bach keyboard concerto recordings

Harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani has released a substantial new recording of J.S. Bach’s complete keyboard concertos with the Britten Sinfonia. The project, released via Hyperion, departs from traditional period-instrument authenticity by utilizing a modern harpsichord built to Esfahani’s own specifications by Prague-based maker Jukka Ollikka.

Esfahani’s approach treats the harpsichord as a contemporary concert instrument rather than a historical relic. The recording also features Esfahani’s own completion of the Eighth Concerto, BWV1059, which was previously known only in fragmentary form.