Urania: A Harpsichord in Space is the curious title given to this Alba recital featuring harpsichordist
Anssi Mattila.
Mattila is professor of harpsichord and of early music performance at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, but in the notes
Mattila acknowledges his early experiences as a musician in progressive pop bands, and accordingly has put together a recital of Baroque dance pieces based around simple harmonic progressions. "Urania" is presumably inspired by the presence of Johann Kasper Ferdinand Fischer's Suite Uranie here, and it is joined by other "pop" harpsichord pieces by Muffat, Duphly, François Couperin, and both Forquerays.
While Urania: A Harpsichord in Space will not cause you to throw out your
Jimi Hendrix albums, it is a genuinely wonderful disc.
Mattila has a strong, assertive touch that carries a lot of gravity with it, in a manner reminiscent of
Gustav Leonhardt's playing, but he also has a slight swing to his playing that pays homage to the dance-based origins of many of these pieces. It is a shame that Alba does not let us in on which instrument
Mattila is playing here, as it has a big, warm sound that is rich and resonant, and Alba's recording, while a tad distant, is a superb match for
Mattila's harpsichord. While the title Urania: A Harpsichord in Space may put one in mind of an LP cover with a harpsichord floating around in space with the various planets not far in the distance, just ignore it. To be turned off by this concept, or the premise given in the notes, as honest and well intentioned as they are, will cause the listener to miss a truly splendid and highly enjoyable harpsichord disc.