"Concert Piano": Pierre Hantaï immersed in his performance
Rewritten Article:
French Harpsichord Maestro Pierre Hantaï's Outing with Bach's Goldberg Variations
The legendary French harpsichordist Pierre Hantaï graced the Bourgie Hall last Tuesday night, performing a captivating set that included Bach's iconic Goldberg Variations - a piece he's recorded twice, in 1992 and 2003, and played numerous times since. Yet, an unexpected twist unfolded.
A concert like Hantaï's on Tuesday night is bound to intrigue. The first half precedes the Goldbergs, but the artist keeps the finer details under wraps, announcing only the theme. He skillfully employs a "mystery section," paving the way for study books that his family uses, followed by compositions for other instruments such as cello, lute, violin, and assorted keyboards.
Hantaï, a student of Gustav Leonhardt, exudes ease and joy as he chooses his musical texts and navigates the harpsichord's various colors. As he approaches the Goldberg, he kicks off with a brief piece unrelated to the core corpus. It could be a chorale, setting the tone.
Unease Galore
The theme of the Goldberg is improvised, and repeats in the initial variations are ornamented. However, a hiccup becomes apparent almost immediately. Sometimes, Hantaï's fingers strike more keys than necessary. Was this a calculated move, a musicalological invention by this ingenious thinker, who, as his biography states, seeks to rediscover "the joy of the unexpected and discovery"? Or, was it an unfortunate slip-up?
In these intricate Goldberg, one thing remains absolutely ours: the clarity of Hantaï's polyphonic will and the precision of his sound choices for each variation. But, for the rest, the overarching sentiment is one of a musician so familiar with this piece that he might believe he can play it in his sleep, backwards, or with his feet. Yet, even a specialist like Hantaï, who we expect to be a planetary interpretative beacon for this work, can find himself grappling with it, stumbling on certain passages temporarily.
Using repetitions sparingly, Hantaï crafts the discourse judiciously compact. If he were performing a series of Goldberg concerts, we would have witnessed a magnificent evening. However, we found ourselves feeling tensed, wondering what more twists and turns might lie ahead and questioning the mastery of such a seasoned artist with this text he's supposed to possess inside and out.
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Overall:The recent criticism of Pierre Hantaï's performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations at Montreal's Salle Bourgie on May 6, 2025, primarily focuses on the technical hurdles associated with playing the harpsichord and the demanding nature of Bach's music. While Hantaï's mastery of the instrument and his polyphonic choices were praised, his occasional mishaps were attributed to the intransigent nature of the harpsichord and the high standard of technical execution required by the Goldberg Variations.
Technical Mishaps: Natural or Unnatural?Although Hantaï's mistakes were noted, they were not characterized as uncommon or intentional. Instead, they were seen as a part and parcel of the challenges that are inherent in live harpsichord performance, particularly when playing the Goldberg Variations on a period instrument. Thus, these technically induced isolated incidents should be viewed as natural complications rather than an indication of uncharacteristic lapses by a virtuoso performer like Hantaï.
- Pierre Hantaï, the renowned French harpsichordist, who studied under Gustav Leonhardt, enjoyed a captivating performance at the Bourgie Hall last Tuesday night, where he played the clavecin and showcased Bach's iconic Goldberg Variations - a piece he has recorded twice and played numerous times since 1992.
- During the concert, Hantaï introduced an unexpected twist, as he employed a "mystery section" and played compositions for various instruments besides the clavecin, such as cello, lute, violin, and even created a brief passage unrelated to the Goldberg Variations to set the tone.
- In the second half of the concert, Hantaï grappled with certain passages of the Goldberg Variations temporarily, hinting at the musician's mastery of the piece, yet revealing his struggle to maintain perfection even in a piece he is experts consider he possesses inside and out.
- As Montreal faces an anticipated 40 cm of snow from Wednesday evening, Vincent Marissal, the MP of Rosemont, is contemplating his departure from politics in 2026 and considering a shift to commentary, as he will not be vying for the position of spokesperson for Quebec Solidaire.
