It was a good weekend for historically informed performance: after a stunning concert of the Bachs by Café Zimmermann at the Library of Congress, it was out to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on Sunday night for a recital by the British duo of Andrew Manze and Richard Egarr.

In charming prefatory remarks, Manze labeled the selection of one Schubert and three Mozart sonatas as “some of our favorites.” A look back over their shared history of recording explains the familiarity evident between Manze and Egarr throughout the concert, in the sense of elasticity of rhythm and the give and take of ensemble playing. Furthermore, unlike their Carnegie Hall appearance earlier in the week, panned by Steve Smith at the New York Times, this concert was heard on instruments appropriate to the historical period. As explained by the performers, Egarr sat at a superb copy of a fortepiano made by Johann Schantz around 1800 (produced by Thomas and Barbara Wolf, the excellent historical instrument-making team formerly based here in Washington and now residing in The Plains, Va.), and Manze played on his historical violin reconditioned to 18th-century standards.

Photo of Richard Egarr and Andrew Manze by Richard Haughton