Some Spanish riches for harpsichord

As the Eclectic Orange Festival winds down, its Latin kick remains. Thursday night, harpsichordist Andreas Staier added to that kick with a program of Baroque music from Spain.

Of course, Domenico Scarlatti’s quirky and irresistible sonatas dominated, but there were also sonatas by Sebastian de Albero, Josep Galles and Jose Ferrer, as well as a set of variations by Felix Maximo Lopez. It was a fertile period in Iberian musical history, and we are still the richer for it.

Staier, a German musician -- not, as erroneous information coming from the Eclectic Orange sponsors had earlier stated, Dutch -- is a solid and articulate performer, seldom a fiery one. Yet he delivered the contents of this intriguing program with great clarity and jumped the technical hurdles effortlessly. That is saying a lot, given the abundance of ideas, moods and quick notes here.

Because of his unflagging and consistent inventiveness -- Domenico Scarlatti is in the small company of Beethoven, Stravinsky and very few others in being always unpredictable -- the six sonatas here challenged the listener the most in their unexpected, often whimsical mood changes.

Happy surprises also abounded in the rest of the program. Staier created a viable Albero suite in putting together a recercata, a fugue and a sonata in D -- they complemented each other handsomely, and his playing brought out their nuances.

A set of three colorful sonatas by Galles also worked, through their contrasts and similarities.

The program began and ended with fandangos, first the set of “Variaciones del Fandango Espanol” by Lopez, then the famous Fandango in D minor by Soler. That last brought the audience of connoisseurs in Neighborhood Congregational Church in Laguna Beach to its feet.