16 October 2019

Harpsichord and Other Keys
Two concerts on 25 and 26 October 2019, 8 pm
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg

The Music Section of the Akademie der Künste devotes two concerts to the distinctive keyboard instruments harpsichord, accordion and piano. In dialogue with selected works for piano or accordion and electronics by Myriam Marbe, Younghi Pagh-Paan, Hans-Joachim Hespos, Iris ter Schiphorst, Nicolaus A. Huber and Samir Odeh-Tamimi et al., performed by outstanding musicians such as Claudia Pérez Iñesta, Mahan Esfahani and Christoph Grund, a polyphonic and thoroughly musically conceived programme has been designed that spans from the 1970s into the 21st century. The two concert evenings have been arranged by Samir Odeh-Tamimi, Deputy Director of the section.

The harpsichord, which as a figured bass and basso continuo instrument shaped an entire epoch of music history with its light, silvery timbre, has long led a shadow existence. Thanks to historical performances and original ensembles, however, there is once again a growing musical awareness for the instrument. At the same time, several prominent avantgarde composers discovered a new and contemporary appeal in the instrument's special timbre and mechanics. Already in the 1960s and 1970s, for example, György Ligeti, Myriam Marbe and Luc Ferrari created breathtaking compositions for the harpsichord. In the piece La parabole du grenier I by the Romanian composer Myriam Marbe, which will be heard on the first concert evening, the pianist Claudia Pérez Iñesta will play three different keyboard instruments.

In recent years as well, new, richly-facetted pieces have emerged, many composed for the internationally renowned harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani. These include Intertwined Distances (2018) for harpsichord and electronic 2018 by Anahita Abbasi, which he will perform on the second concert day. Esfahani will also play Luc Ferrari's Programme Commun for harpsichord and tape recorder – a composition that was newly rediscovered by Esfahani. In Hans-Joachim Hespos' performative piece p i a l, it is not only the spinning and breathing accordion that goes through circular motions, but also the entire grand piano. The concert programme is rounded off by two recent compositions for piano and electronics by Samir Odeh-Tamimi and Iris ter Schiphorst - testimonies to the close collaboration between renowned pianist Christoph Grund and contemporary composers.

Programme

Friday, 25 October, 8 pm
György Ligeti: Continuum (1968) for harpsichord
Younghi Pagh-Paan: Ne Ma-Um (1996) for accordion
Myriam Marbe: La parabole du grenier I (1975/76) for one interpret on piano, harpsichord and celesta
Iannis Xenakis: Psappha (1975) for percussion
Hans-Joachim Hespos: p i a l (1994) for accordion and piano
with
Margherita Berlanda: accordion
Claudia Pérez Iñesta: harpsichord, piano, celesta
Alexandros Giovanos: percussion

Saturday, 26 October, 8 pm
Iris ter Schiphorst: Dead Wire (2011) for piano, sampler and live electronics
Anahita Abbasi: Intertwined Distances (2018) for harpsichord and electronics
Luc Ferrari: Musique socialiste ? ou Programme Commun pour clavecin et bande (1972) for harpsichord and tape recorder
Nicolaus A. Huber: Auf Flügeln der Harfe (1985) for accordion
Samir Odeh-Tamimi: Polígonos (2016) for piano and electronics
with
Margherita Berlanda: accordion
Mahan Esfahani: harpsichord
Christoph Grund: piano

Event information
Harpsichord and Other Keys
Two concerts
Friday, 25 October and Saturday, 26 October 2019, 8 pm
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg 10, 10557 Berlin
Tickets € 13/7, combined ticket for both concerts € 20/10
Ticket reservation: Tel. +49(30) 200 57-2000, ticket@adk.de, online: www.adk.de/tickets