Harpsichord Recital at Keble College Chapel

Last night I enjoyed a harpsichord recital of Mahan Esfahani at Keble College
Chapel, Oxford. This is one of a series of Early Music Festival 2015.

This was my first time to listen to live sound of a harpsichord. It was amazing!
We could take a close look at the harpsichord during break time. It was a very
beautiful instrument.

Mahan Esfahani is an Iranian-American harpsichordist. He studied musicology
and history at Stanford University. He has gained an international reputation as
a concerto soloist and recitalist. He was the Artist-in-Residence at New College,
Oxford from 2008 to 2010.

I was moved by his skillful, beautiful and impressive play. The harpsichord has
no pedal, so it is easy for listeners to catch mistouching. But his play was
perfect! He played Gibbons, J. S. Bach, Couperin and Scarlatti. I had heard some
pieces of Bach, but I was not familiar with other composers. Mahan explained the
composers and the pieces he played. He also talked about his experiences in
Oxford. I think a chapel is the best place to enjoy early music played with a
harpsichord.

昨日は、Keble Collegeでのハープシコード（チェンバロ）リサイタルに行ってきた。奏者はMahan Esfahaniさん。私は知らなかったのだけど、チェンバロ奏者として有名な方なのだそう。スタンフォード大学で学び、オックスフォードにも一時期在籍していた時期があるのだそう。

演目は、ギボンズ、バッハ、クープラン、スカルラティ。バッハ以外の曲は聞いたことがなかったけど、どれも素晴らしかった。チェンバロはピアノに比べて強弱が付けにくくペダルもないのだけど、この小さな楽器から多彩な音が出されることに驚いた。

先日のオルガンリサイタルに続き、なかなか聞くことができない貴重な音楽を聞くことができて、大満足！