Violinist Jennifer Pike overwhelmed the playing of harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani at times. Photo: Premiere Performances
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https://scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3011331/musical-mismatch-violin-drowns-out-harpsichord-bach-pairs Arts & Culture
Musical mismatch: violin drowns out harpsichord in Bach, but pairs well in contemporary works
- Daring pairing of violinist Jennifer Pike and harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani only a partial success, her use of vibrato and modern technique unsuited to baroque
- They performed better in post-war works, one written by her father, and harpsichord sonata allowed Esfahani to show his eloquence and virtuosity
Violinist Jennifer Pike and Iranian-born harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani receive the applause of the audience at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. Photo: Premiere Performances
Baroque purists and historical-performance loyalists would have left the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall with feathers ruffled on Tuesday evening after a daring Premiere Performances concert by Polish-British violinist Jennifer Pike and Iranian-born harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani.
The duo were convincing in contemporary compositions by Walter Piston and Jeremy Pike, but less well-matched in J.S. Bach’s sonatas. The mismatch was apparent right off the bat in Bach’s Sonata for Violin and Basso Continuo in E minor.
In a work where the violin already takes centre stage, Esfahani’s intricate and delicate harpsichord playing had little chance against Pike’s modern violin technique. Her liberal vibrato, legato bowing and steel string set-up often overpowered Esfahani, especially in the light and playful Allemande and Gigue dance movements.
Listeners were able to attune to the intimacy of the 1966-built harpsichord replica as Esfahani’s delicate, improvisatory opening to Bach’s Harpsichord Toccata in D major unravelled in all its majesty. The elaborate Allegro section that followed was a treat and the Adagio, played with eloquent poise by Esfahani, moved effortlessly into the playful, gigue-like Fugue, displaying his virtuosity to the fullest.
Not to be outdone for virtuosity, Pike’s reading of Bach’s Partita no. 3 in E major for solo violin showed her ever-reliable intonation and technique – stylistically modern as it is, rich in vibrato and barely hinting at early-music performance practice. That aside, one did crave more eccentricity and dynamic variation in the quicker dance movements from Pike and less too polished legato playing in the Preludio and Loure.
The contemporary works that followed the intermission almost stole the show. Neoclassical in style, with Stravinsky-like playfulness, the American composer Walter Piston’s Sonatina for Violin and Harpsichord from 1945 was relished by both artists.
Pike’s playing, with liberal use of vibrato and legato bowing, and her instrument’s steel strings offered barely a nod to early-music performance practice, and her solo playing in quicker movements lacked dynamic variation. But Walter Piston’s sonatina benefited from her lyricism. Photo: Tom Barnes
Pike, seemingly in more comfortable territory, played with fine lyricism and poise in the Adagio espressivo, while she and Esfahani enjoyed the witty and jovial outer Allegro leggiero and Allegro vivo movements.
Cascades by British composer Jeremy Pike, which draws inspiration from a walk along a stream, was written for Pike – his daughter – and Esfahani. The pair set the scene vividly, their playing bouncing off the other’s to great effect, Pike bathing in warm melodies and impressing with clean harmonics and seemingly at one with Esfahani’s harpsichord.
The recital concluded with Bach’s Violin Sonata in F minor, in which both instruments have equally important parts. Pike’s robust violin again dominated and left Esfahani’s harpsichord barely audible at times, especially in the Adagio, where the violinist’s sustained (crystal clear!) double-stopping accompaniment made Esfahani’s arpeggio movement seem merely visual.
The dreamy Siciliano opening of Bach’s C minor sonata made for a lovely encore, ending a recital for which a more appropriate title might have been Contemporary Beats Baroque.
Baroque Meets Contemporary, Premiere Performances, Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. Reviewed: May 21, 2019