Mahan Esfahani at Alfred Hertz Memorial Concert Hall, April 2, 2023

Cal Performances presents Mahan Esfahani
Alfred Hertz Memorial Concert Hall
U.C. Berkeley, 101 Cross-Sproul Path, Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
3:00 PM, Sunday, April 2, 2023

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[3:07 PM] {lights down, no announcements}
[3:08 PM] {ME out}

1. [3:09 PM] William Byrd (ca. 1540–1623): Lachrimae Pavan, after John Dowland (1563–1626)'s original for lute, F. No. 57; FVB No. 121
2. [3:13 PM] Byrd: The Bells, FVB 69
3. [3:17 PM] Byrd: Fantasia, MB 27
   [3:24 PM] {Byrd set ends; applause; ME bow and then off briefly}

[3:25 PM] {ME out}

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808 (ca 1720)

1. [3:25 PM] Prélude
2. [3:28 PM] Allemande
3. [3:32 PM] Courante
4. [3:34 PM] Sarabande
5. [3:36 PM] Gavotte I
6. [3:38 PM] Gavotte II ou Musette
7. [3:41 PM] Gigue
   [3:44 PM] {set ends; applause; bows}
   [3:45 PM] {ME off for a break}

[4:05 PM] {lights down, ME out}

1. [4:06 PM] Brett Dean (b. 1961): ByrdSong Studies (2021, US Premiere)
   [4:15 PM] {set ends}

Domenico Scarlatti (1685—1757)

1. [4:16 PM] Sonata in F major, K. 106, Allegro
2. [4:19 PM] Sonata in F major, K. 107, Allegro
3. [4:21 PM] Sonata in F minor, K. 466, Andante moderato
4. [4:28 PM] Sonata in D minor, K. 552, Andante
5. [4:31 PM] Sonata in C minor, K. 116, Allegro
6. [4:35 PM] Sonata in D minor, K. 32, Aria
   [4:41 PM] {set ends}
   
   Encore
7. [4:43 PM] György Ligeti (1923—2006): Continuum (1968)
   [4:48 PM] {show ends}

• Mahan Esfahani: harpsichord. ## Notes

It's really irritating when program notes fail to provide enough info to pin down what pieces are to be performed: is it really all that difficult to generate proper citations? In this case, I'm irked by everything about the Byrd set: I think I've gotten the initial work pinned down, but I'm quite confused to look into the second two titles and find references that mix them together (eg, “The Bells Fantasia MB 27”). Per a Discogs listing of Byrd Fantasias, I can see that part of the confusion is that MB 27 refers not to a single work, but to an entire collection of works. So much for precision, eh? Maybe Esfahani will explain…

Nope. ME says nothing whatsoever today, except to introduce the encore at the very end of the show. Strange!

And while I didn't think much of Dean's ByrdSong Studies, I thought the Ligeti encore was 'da bomb' – it's a very physical piece, and Esfahani really nailed the percussive element that shines through the cascade of notes at the end. Yowza!

Program Notes or program notes

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