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JAMES BRAWN CD SIGNING - SATURDAY 1ST JUNE

BEETHOVEN PIANO ODYSSEY

Forsyth Brothers are delighted to welcome international concert pianist James Brawn to sign his first volume, of what promises to be an extraordinary cycle of Beethoven’s piano sonatas. This is a one time opportunity to meet Mr. Brawn face to face, and purchase his new recording signed.

“A tremendous display of pianistic virtuosity with a powerful interpretation.” Evening Telegraph (UK).

Since his Mozart K.503 concerto debut in Australia aged twelve, pianist James Brawn has forged his own musical path of discovery, studying with great pianists who can trace their pedagogical lineage back to Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Clara Schumann.

James was born in England, but has lived around the world in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. Starting piano lessons at the age of seven, James performed on New Zealand television and won his first awards in Auckland in 1979. His family moved to Melbourne the following year where his musical studies blossomed through the 1980s with Margaret Schofield (a pupil of Solomon), Ronald Farren-Price (a pupil of Arrau) and Rita Reichman (a pupil of Serkin and Horszowski), winning major prizes at eisteddfods and scholarships including the Hephzibah Menuhin award presented by Yehudi Menuhin. While still at school, James performed concerti by Mozart, Beethoven 4, Saint-Saens 2 and Rachmaninoff 2. He also reached the concerto final of the ABC Young Performers Awards in 1987, leading to concerts with the Adelaide and Melbourne Symphony orchestras under conductors Omri Hadari and Patrick Thomas.

With a major overseas study grant from the Australia Arts Council, James was able to continue work with his mentor, Rita Reichman in Philadelphia, gaining a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, London, in 1988. There, he studied with Frank Wibaut and Christopher Elton, winning many recital awards including the Beethoven, Romantic and 20th century prizes, and performing in master classes with great pianists including András Schiff, Tamás Vásáry, Stephen Kovacevich, Fou Ts’ong and Menahem Pressler. James also studied chamber music with members of the Amadeus and Chilingirian Quartets and attended the Britten-Pears and Lake District summer schools. At the age of 19, James won the Keyboard final of the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition, performing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London.

Recitals as soloist and in chamber music partnerships followed around the UK at music societies and festivals, including performances at the Purcell Room, St. Martin-in-the-Fields and St. James’ Piccadilly. James furthered his studies with the Armenian pianist, Nelly Akopian-Tamarina, and the Slovenian pianist, Marina Horak.

In 2001, James moved to Melbourne where he took up a position at Scotch College, in one of the finest music departments in Australia. Since that time he has worked on many artistic projects, performing for music societies, universities and festivals in Australia, China and the UK. James has recorded for ABC Classic FM and 3MBS radio and is co-founder of the biennial Scotch College Melbourne Piano Festival. Recent programmes have included ‘The Time Traveller’, ‘Russian Promenade’, ‘The Bach Code’ and ‘My Beethoven Odyssey’.

Now based in the Cotswolds, James begins his odyssey to perform and record the complete Beethoven piano sonatas through 2011 - 2015. In April 2012, recording started at Potton Hall in Suffolk working with producer Jeremy Hayes. This season, James performs solo recitals in London, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Chichester, Paris, Sicily, the Cotswolds, Manchester, Glasgow, Brunei, Hong Kong and New Orleans.

~

To travel in time, allowing music of the great composers to flow through me and connect with my audience is one of the most joyous and transcending of life’s experiences. I feel very fortunate and privileged to be a pianist in the twenty-first century and would love for you to join me at one of my concerts this season. ‘A Beethoven Odyssey’, my first album for MSR Classics, is now available from Forsyth Brothers Limited.  It includes the ‘Appassionata’ and Op.2 no.1&3 piano sonatas.

Warm wishes,

JB

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THE REVIEWS

“this British-born pianist who appears to have lived all over the world still supplies significant pleasure in the first volume of his Beethoven Odyssey, already on sale online… [the] Sonata No.3 [and] the Appassionata. [are] crisp and forthright, thoughtfully phrased, with a judicious balance between head and heart.”

[ * * * ] Geoff Brown, The Times, London [22 March, 2013]

“Brawn has everything it takes for a Beethoven interpreter, including an unfailing ear for sonority and dynamics, a superb sense of rhythm, a keyboard touch judiciously varied according to the particular sound and texture he wishes to evoke, and an intelligent grasp of the entire musical canvas of each sonata, and not just its choice details, as delicious as they often are.

That guiding intelligence carries over into his program building, as well. In the present instance, placing two of Beethoven’s earliest Sonatas, Opus 2, No. 1 in F minor and No. 3 in C major in the same recital as his mature middle period masterwork No. 23 in F minor, Op. 53, the universally acclaimed “Appassionata,” was more than just a stroke of luck. These early works of 1795, too often dismissed as transitional works with roots in the Viennese Classical Era, actually look boldly to the future, and Brawn does not take them lightly. Both use their opening movements to set the mood for all that follows, in a way the classical sonata of Mozart and Haydn seldom did. With swiftly ascending melodic figures, arpeggios in passagework and chords, lightning-sudden key changes and big dynamic contrasts, and particularly in the use of strongly accented sforzandi (literally “punches”) in the opening Allegro of Sonata No. 1, Beethoven makes himself known as a radical new presence to be dealt with.

Sonata No. 3 is an even weightier, more portentous work, adding broken chords and off-beat sforzandi to the composer’s arsenal in the opening movement and blistering staccato octaves and trills that ratchet up the level of excitement in the spirited, high-energy finale. Without distorting his interpretation in favor of these “special effects,” Brawn uses them as Beethoven surely intended, to keep the listener off-balance and on the edge of expectation.

Finally, we arrive at the “Appassionata” of 1805. Now we realize what Brawn has been doing all along in his beautifully paced and meticulously developed accounts of the two early sonatas. He has been preparing us for their fruition in Beethoven’s middle period. What were special effects in Sonatas 1 and 3 are now completely integrated as part of the Beethoven style we all know and love (and which may have been hard at times for his contemporaries to take). Imagination and superlative technique meet happily in the “Appassionata,” and Brawn revels in both elements even as he realizes this work’s bold formal outlines. He is very much at home with its rich sonorities in the opening Allegro, including the composer’s expressive use of what has been termed the piano’s “cello register.”

Brawn gives proper weight to each of the four almost crudely simple variations in the Andante in order to set us up for the highly dramatic moment when the soft diminished seventh at the very end is succeeded by a much louder diminished seventh, and - Attacca - we are plunged headlong into the maelstrom of the finale. Without pause, Brawn’s virtuosity takes us resolutely through this sensational whirlwind movement and its even faster and more strongly accented coda, all the way to the thrilling conclusion. In the process, he does not fail to sound the intended note of desolation when the sonata ends, as do only a handful of other works in Beethoven’s career, without the expected major-key resolution.”

Phil Muse, Audio Society of Atlanta [February 2013]

James Brawn, a name new to me, was born in 1971 in England and lived in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States as well. His initial training occurred in New Zealand. This album marks the beginning of what may be a complete Beethoven piano sonata series; the disc title is not exactly clear about this though the liner notes hint at it. If that is the case then we are in for one whale of a treat, for Brawn’s pianism-and more importantly, his interpretative skills-are formidable indeed, some of the best recent Beethoven playing I have heard, and these sonatas have been coming at us like a hurricane for the last 10 years or so, some brilliant editions in the best modern surround sound, some simply stereo, like this one.

Too often the First Sonata in F-minor is given a perfunctory run-through, a sort of Haydnesque let’s-get-on-with-it approach. While the Haydn of the sturm und drang period certainly haunts this sonata all the way through, by the time we get to the end we are in the clutches of a new and full-fledged romanticism, just bursting to escape the confines of sonata form. That doesn’t happen here-sonata form remains intact-but you can already see the end coming. The first movement of this wonder is made even more wonderful by Brawn’s rather clipped phrasing and ultra-short staccatos-the effect heightens the drama greatly and sets the scene for a performance of infinite affection and intensity. When the last movement arrives he doesn’t hesitate to give the piece a flamboyant and flowing sense of pedal and rhapsody which taints the whole work with a sense of something far more advanced than the first sonata the composer ever penned.

The Third Sonata, which is calmer but explores some interesting harmonic byways (and is also dedicated to Haydn), attempts to exploit the piano in ways that it had not been before, ending with great bravura and ushering in a whole new world of pianistic undertaking. Brawn is on top of it all and meets each challenge Beethoven presents.

The “Appassionata” is of course one of the greatest warhorses in the literature, a magnificent example of how Beethoven was learning to manipulate his motives into something far beyond the confines of their initial seeds. The outer movements are sonata form, with the middle movement simple variations, but the drama comes in through the sudden contrasts and tempo changes, keeping the listener on the edge of the seat in this aural page-turner. It’s tough for any performance to etch its way into the catalog here, for there are some great ones out there. I remember the old RCA called Last Concert for Israel where Rubinstein gives an electrifying performance while missing what seemed like half the notes in the last movement. Here Brawn zaps us as well, but hits them all in a performance of great finesse and excitement.

I needed to turn the sound up a bit but the results were clear and pure. Keep your eye on this one-it could be a stunner if they take it all the way.

-Steven Ritter

Buying a piano is very personal.  Every piano has its own character and a successful piano search is about finding the individual piano which gives you the sound and feel you are looking for, as well as the technical and musical capabilities to support your playing ambitions now and in the future.  This is why we have one of the largest selections of upright and grand pianos in the UK, backed up by enthusiastic piano specialists and a workshop staffed by experienced technicians and tuners who prepare every piano to the very highest standards.  Pianos aren’t like other products.  They don’t come in a box, ready to give their best.  They need careful preparation and set-up, something we are especially well-placed to provide.

Don’t buy your piano by choosing a model from websites, without playing it.  Visit Forsyths and choose your piano the right way so that your purchase continues to give you pleasure for years to come.  We are an authorised dealer for Yamaha, Kawai, Kemble, Schimmel, Vogel, May, Bechstein and Bosendorfer and we also have a wide selection of fully-serviced and beautifully re-built second hand pianos.  With the combination of our extensive stock, and our passion for selling pianos the right way, we are sure to have the right instrument for you.

We’re open as normal this weekend on Saturday (9am-5.30pm) and Sunday (11am-5pm) but we will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May.  We re-open as normal on Tuesday 7th May.

Keep up-to-date with everything that is going on here at Forsyths by following us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ForsythMusic) and liking our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Forsyths.Music.Shop).  We still maintain our traditional values, and we always love to see you in our shop first and foremost, but being on these two networking sites give us a great opportunity to interact with you about your musical lives as well as exciting events and products here at the shop.

On Saturday 18th May between 12:00noon and 2:00pm Professor Anthony Ogus will be here at Forsyth signing a limited quantity of his new book, published by Melrose this year.

The book draws on Anthony’s experiences as an opera-goer, from the 1960s to the present. It deals with the delights and disappointments from seeking out opera performances in different countries. It covers not only the obviously central aspects - music, singers, productions, opera houses and their audiences; it also provides accounts of matters such as the obtaining of tickets, operatic excursions, and ‘calamities’ which may occur.
It is anecdotal and personal, discursive, and amusing, but also informative. If you want to know more about the world of opera – what goes right and what goes wrong – you’ll enjoy this.

Comments on the Book
‘The book is a compendium of operatic delights recounted by a true connoisseur. What I really like about Anthony’s passion is that he is not led by fashion and hyperbole as to what is IN, but is always the man with his own mind… The book makes a most enlightening read and will appeal to those enjoying opera on EVERY level’
From the Foreword by Sir Thomas Allen.

‘Anthony Ogus’s travels are full of incident, humour and sage opinion. He has the gift of being entirely serious in his pursuit of opera, yet being able gently to laugh at the pursuit and at himself.’
Nicholas Payne, Director, Opera Europa

‘Anthony Ogus generously shares his personal ecstatic highs and frustrating lows during 50 years of ‘operamania’ an evident passion for performances of this unique art form that provocatively stimulates, entertains and transports the reader to the numerous national and international opera houses of the world.’
Stefan Janksi, Head of Opera,
Royal Northern College of Music

All of us here at Forsyths are very excited about our snazzy, new-look website we’ll be unveiling in the very near future. It will be far more comprehensive and enable you to buy instruments and accessories from nearly every part of the shop effortlessly on-line. But, whilst we’re all squirrelling away it may be that our current website gets a teensy-weensy bit out of date. So, if you’ve seen something on there that takes your fancy then please do email us - info@forsyths.co.uk and check that the object of your desire is still in stock! You can still call us on 0161 956 2052 as well, BUT… We have some Gremlins in the phone system and some calls aren’t connecting properly. So, if you ring us and don’t get an answer - please try again or send us an email instead to: info@forsyths.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you and introducing our new website soon!

During the Winter months we have been running a superb offer on Vogel V115 and V121 upright pianos at £5,990 and £6,990 (list price £7,190 and £8,790) respectively.  This offer has been incredibly popular so we are delighted that we have been able to secure one more batch of these pianos at the special offer prices, with the V121T further reduced to £6,750!  At the present time we still have the 115 in Modern and Traditional casings, and the 121 in Traditional design, but stocks are strictly limited and will be sold on a first come first served basis.  This offer will not be extended beyond our current stock levels so if you are looking for a Schimmel -designed and -made upright piano at a surprisingly affordable price now is the time to visit us at 126 Deansgate and secure one of these award-winning instruments for yourself.

Forsyth Brothers Limited will be joining Record Store Day this year. We have a well stocked contemporary selection on sale with up to 20% reduction, a vast array of jazz on CD and LP, of course not forgetting the widest range of stock in Manchester of the classical sector.

There is currently a 30% discount on Hyperion and Helios selected titles, including the entire Romantic Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto and Cello Concerto Series, flanked by the Bach Transcription Series, and French Song Edition. There are only one each of these, so when they’ve gone, they’ve gone!

We look forward to welcoming you here at our historical Deansgate shop.