on 30 November 2024

Photographs by David Hogg of Horizon Imaging.

Pianist Elisabeth Brauß is simply magnetic. She has a magnetic personality shining from within regardless, in fact, of whether she is performing or not performing.

It was a great pleasure to invite Elisabeth to Breinton. She was a sincere deliverer of the music, who connected the composers’ works to the audience. The sheer variety of tones coming out of her hands was astonishing; that combined with the room’s magical acoustic created the true pleasure and indulgence you would like to be soaked in forever.

The opening passages of Bach’s Capriccio were played with the utmost tenderness. It was almost like gently caressing a deep-felt lament. Tender and soft but with an impact of emotional heavyweight. I felt that the fugue’s contrapuntal voices were sung and voiced masterfully. So rhythmical and joyful.

Sir Stephen Hough’s brand-new composition Nocturn (9.11) was added to the programme. Reflecting the happenings of 9/11, it was visual and imaginative. One could picture innocent souls gathering, only to be demolished – the piece felt eternal.

The evening’s programme was themed around farewells, but farewells don’t all have to be sad and depressing. Beethoven’s No. 26 Sonata ‘Les Adieux’ depicted emotional ups and downs. So many feelings went through, which were all expressed expertly by Elisabeth. What an eruption of joy, almost triumphant, the 3^rd movement was. We could almost picture the composer jumping joyfully with open arms.

Schumann’s Ghost Variations were heavenly. The simple, delicate theme was serenely expressed with Elisabeth’s gentlest touch. As the variations progressed, more complex inner voices were introduced with sensitivity; Elisabeth allowed the haunting work to breathe and expand, while her impeccable control over phrasing brought the detailed emotional depth.

Despite Prokofiev’s powerful Sonata No. 7 being highly technical, which demands extraordinary ability, Elisabeth’s sincere and unfazed approach to the keyboard never changed. She danced with the jagged and aggressive rhythms in the first movement, gave us a peaceful respite momentarily with dreamlike warm sounds in the second movement before moving onto the relentless 3^rd movement, spectacularly played, to bring the evening to climax.

Schumann’s Abschied (Farewell) completed the Breinton autumn season – the most peaceful way to finish the last recital of 2024. I think it is safe to say Elisabeth gained 55 fans this evening!

• Bach
  
  • Capriccio
• Beethoven
  
  • Piano Somata No. 26 'Le Adieux'
• Schumann
  • Geistervariationen 'Ghost Variations'
• Prokofiev
  
  • Piano Sonata No. 7

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
Capriccio in B-flat major, BWV 992 ("On the Departure of a Beloved Brother")

The programme begins with Bach’s Capriccio in B-flat major, BWV 992, a delightful and expressive work thought to have been composed as a farewell for Bach’s brother, Johann Jacob, who was leaving to serve as a musician in Sweden. The piece is structured in six short movements, each offering a distinct emotional snapshot of the departure. Unlike the strict formalism often associated with Baroque music, the Capriccio has a personal, almost narrative quality, with each movement evoking different facets of farewell—ranging from melancholy to urgency and even humor.

The opening Arioso is a plaintive lament, setting the emotional tone of loss, while the following movements introduce more vivid images: the pleas of friends not to depart and the sound of post horns, signaling the journey ahead. The final Fuga is a brilliant and joyful conclusion, showcasing Bach’s contrapuntal mastery while expressing optimism for the journey. Brauss will undoubtedly capture both the tenderness and vitality of this work, drawing out its emotional contrasts with clarity and finesse.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux"

Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 26, commonly known as Les Adieux, is one of the composer’s most programmatic works for the piano, written in response to the departure of Beethoven’s patron and friend, Archduke Rudolph, who fled Vienna during the French invasion in 1809. The sonata’s title reflects Beethoven’s deep emotional connection to this event, with each movement bearing a descriptive title: Das Lebewohl (The Farewell), Abwesenheit (Absence), and Das Wiedersehen (The Return).

The first movement, Das Lebewohl, opens with three powerful chords representing the syllables of the word "Lebewohl" (farewell), setting a tone of deep emotional gravity. This movement is filled with yearning and tension, as Beethoven juxtaposes lyrical, tender moments with bursts of dramatic intensity. The second movement, Abwesenheit, is quieter and more introspective, capturing the desolation and uncertainty of absence. The final movement, Das Wiedersehen, brings a joyful and exuberant conclusion, filled with a sense of triumphant return and celebration.

Brauss’ performance will likely emphasize the emotional arc of this sonata, bringing out the rich contrasts between longing and joy that Beethoven so masterfully conveys. Her attention to dynamic detail and phrasing will allow the personal narrative of the work to unfold with great expressiveness.

Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
Geistervariationen, "Ghost Variations"

Schumann’s Geistervariationen (Ghost Variations) is his last completed work, written in 1854 during a period of intense emotional and mental turmoil. The name of the piece refers to Schumann’s belief that spirits dictated the theme to him. This tragic backstory gives the Ghost Variations a haunting and fragile quality, as the composer’s mental state was deteriorating rapidly when he composed them. Shortly after completing the work, Schumann attempted to take his own life and was admitted to an asylum.

The piece consists of a simple, delicate theme followed by five variations. The theme itself is serene and lyrical, yet suffused with a sense of melancholy. The variations explore different facets of the theme, ranging from the introspective to the impassioned, without ever losing the underlying poignancy. The emotional weight of the work lies not in virtuosic display, but in its directness and simplicity, which convey a profound sense of vulnerability.

In Brauss' hands, the Ghost Variations will reveal the fragile beauty and tragic poignancy that lie at the heart of Schumann’s final creative utterance. Her sensitivity to the emotional depth of the music, coupled with her impeccable control over phrasing, will bring this haunting work to life in a deeply moving way.

Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953)
Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat major, Op. 83

The recital concludes with Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 7, one of his most powerful and intense works, written during the Second World War as part of his so-called "War Sonatas." This sonata is often described as a work of stark contrasts, blending brutal dissonances with moments of lyrical beauty. The piece is filled with a sense of urgency and conflict, reflecting the turbulent times in which it was composed.

The first movement, Allegro inquieto, opens with jagged, aggressive rhythms, contrasting with a more lyrical secondary theme, yet the overall mood remains unsettled. The second movement, Andante caloroso, offers a brief respite, with a gentle, flowing melody that contrasts with the harshness of the outer movements. It has a dreamlike quality, though it is tinged with an underlying tension. The final movement, Precipitato, is a virtuosic tour de force, characterized by relentless, driving rhythms and explosive energy. This movement hurtles toward a dramatic and emphatic conclusion, leaving the listener breathless.

Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7 demands extraordinary technical ability, and Brauss is more than capable of rising to its challenges. Her mastery of dynamics and her ability to navigate the contrasting moods of the piece will bring out its full dramatic intensity. The visceral power of the final movement, in particular, will provide a thrilling climax to the recital.

The pianist Elisabeth Brauß has been praised by Gramophone Magazine for “the maturity and sophistication of her thoughtful interpretations” which “would be the pride of any pianist twice her age”. Born in Hannover in 1995, Elisabeth is quickly establishing herself as one of the most exciting and versatile musicians of her generation.

As a former member of the BBC New Generation Artist Scheme, Elisabeth continues to appear regularly with solo, chamber and concerto engagements across the UK. In 2021 she made her debut at the BBC Proms, performing Mozart Piano Concerto No.23 with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. In a new partnership between this scheme and the Hallé Orchestra, she was awarded the Terence Judd-Hallé Award, given to a NGA graduate considered to be on the cusp of a major international career.

This season, Elisabeth returns to Staatsorchester Stuttgart and makes debuts with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, London Chamber Orchestra and Staatstheater Meiningen. She will also tour Germany with Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra and trumpeter Simon Höfele, and will tour Australia with her recital partner, the violinist Noa Wildschut. A renowned chamber musician, Elisabeth will have a three-day residency at Belfast Arts Festival comprising of a solo recital and chamber collaborations. She appears regularly at Wigmore Hall and this season also appears in recital at St George’s Bristol, St John’s International Piano Series Oxford and Royal Welsh College of Music.

Further recent highlights include Finnish Radio Symphony, The Hallé, BBC Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony and Ulster Orchestras, in addition to dates with Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg in her native Germany. During the 2022/23 season, Elisabeth was Artist in Residence at Edesche Concertzaal, performing both solo and chamber concerts. Elisabeth also collaborates with the composer Max Richter, and has appeared in his Reflektor Festival at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.

In May 2017, Elisabeth’s debut CD featuring works by Beethoven, Prokofiev, Chopin and Denhoff, was released by OehmsClassics. It received critical acclaim and was named ‘Editor’s Choice’ by Gramophone Magazine. Since then, she has gone on to release three more albums, collaborating with Valentino Worlitzsch, Simon Höfele, and the Beethoven Orchester Bonn featuring compositions by Max Richter to commemorate Beethoven’s 250th anniversary. Elisabeth’s most recent recording of the Bacewicz Double Concerto with Finnish Radio Symphony, Nicholas Collon & Peter Jablonski was awarded 5* and Concerto of the Month by BBC Music Magazine.

In addition to winning first prize at the International Steinway Competition in Hamburg, and the International Grotrian Steinweg Piano Competition in Braunschweig, Elisabeth was awarded the Prätorius Musikpreis Lower Saxony Prize in 2012. Further accolades include the main and audience awards at the TONALi Grand Prix in Hamburg (2013) and first prize at the Kissinger KlavierOlymp (October 2016).