Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
When Mahan Esfahani plays the harpsichord, the audience is breathless. It is not just his virtuosity, but also the way he interprets each piece — as in the case of Johann Sebastian Bach’s partitas, which he performed at the Leipzig Bach Festival. We recently caught up with him to learn about his life and work as a harpsichordist.
(00:00) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in G major, Piano Exercises I
(00:41) His love of Bach
(01:02) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in D major
(01:22) His trick for overcoming stage fright
(01:33) Esfahani plays an excerpt from the Partita in B flat major
(01:50) How he discovered Bach and the harpsichord
(02:51) Esfahani explains the harpsichord
(03:52) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in G major
(04:04) Esfahani explains what was innovative about Bach’s music in his day
(04:31) Mahan Esfahani plays Mark Appelbaum’s "October 1582"
(04:57) Mahan talks about new music for the harpsichord and why it's important to him
(05:26) Esfahani discusses new music
(06:22) Esfahani performs Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D minor with the Britten Sinfonia chamber orchestra
(06:41) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in D major
(06:51) The musician's modesty
Johann Sebastian Bach has been Mahan Esfahani's favorite composer since he was just nine years old. After his parents emigrated from Iran to the United States when he was four, he began learning the piano there. At the time, Bach was not part of his practice repertoire. But when he heard a recording of Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, he knew immediately that he wanted to become a harpsichordist.
Mahan Esfahani demonstrates how the harpsichord works and reveals what he does to overcome stage fright before concerts. To him, the harpsichord is much more than a historical instrument used for Baroque music. Around 40 composers have written new works for him on the instrument— fascinating pieces that Esfahani briefly performs and explains in this video. Playing contemporary music is just as important to him as performing early music, which he presents in his own distinctive way, sometimes with a playful wink.
Report by Gaby Reucher
© 2026 Deutsche Welle
Watch more portraits of classical musicians: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBUGCdoVYLjdUZa_L1OU6tMD
more exciting music documentaries: youtube.com/playlistlist=PL_SdnzPd3eBUu43Xaa5AYyL7MruoJ42WD
and listen to more great music by Johann Sebastian Bach: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBUIGIm71zRFbYPJMQ-ETiMT
Subscribe to DW Classical Music: youtube.com/dwclassicalmusic
#jsbach #harpsichord #baroquemusic
When Mahan Esfahani plays the harpsichord, the audience is breathless. It is not just his virtuosity, but also the way he interprets each piece — as in the case of Johann Sebastian Bach’s partitas, which he performed at the Leipzig Bach Festival. We recently caught up with him to learn about his life and work as a harpsichordist.
(00:00) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in G major, Piano Exercises I
(00:41) His love of Bach
(01:02) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in D major
(01:22) His trick for overcoming stage fright
(01:33) Esfahani plays an excerpt from the Partita in B flat major
(01:50) How he discovered Bach and the harpsichord
(02:51) Esfahani explains the harpsichord
(03:52) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in G major
(04:04) Esfahani explains what was innovative about Bach’s music in his day
(04:31) Mahan Esfahani plays Mark Appelbaum’s "October 1582"
(04:57) Mahan talks about new music for the harpsichord and why it's important to him
(05:26) Esfahani discusses new music
(06:22) Esfahani performs Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D minor with the Britten Sinfonia chamber orchestra
(06:41) Esfahani plays an excerpt from Bach’s Partita in D major
(06:51) The musician's modesty
Johann Sebastian Bach has been Mahan Esfahani's favorite composer since he was just nine years old. After his parents emigrated from Iran to the United States when he was four, he began learning the piano there. At the time, Bach was not part of his practice repertoire. But when he heard a recording of Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, he knew immediately that he wanted to become a harpsichordist.
Mahan Esfahani demonstrates how the harpsichord works and reveals what he does to overcome stage fright before concerts. To him, the harpsichord is much more than a historical instrument used for Baroque music. Around 40 composers have written new works for him on the instrument— fascinating pieces that Esfahani briefly performs and explains in this video. Playing contemporary music is just as important to him as performing early music, which he presents in his own distinctive way, sometimes with a playful wink.
Report by Gaby Reucher
© 2026 Deutsche Welle
Watch more portraits of classical musicians: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBUGCdoVYLjdUZa_L1OU6tMD
more exciting music documentaries: youtube.com/playlistlist=PL_SdnzPd3eBUu43Xaa5AYyL7MruoJ42WD
and listen to more great music by Johann Sebastian Bach: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBUIGIm71zRFbYPJMQ-ETiMT
Subscribe to DW Classical Music: youtube.com/dwclassicalmusic
#jsbach #harpsichord #baroquemusic
