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| MS 1467 |
The Allegro vivace of Piano Sonata No.2 in A major, op.2 No.2 opens
with lovely crisp phrases with Brawn showing a playfulness in his approach. His
playing is so fluid with moments of terrific forward motion, though always
aware of the overall structure. There is a directness of utterance that is
entirely beguiling with Brawn grabbing the listener’s ear and carrying him
along.
In the Largo
appassionato this pianist draws much poetry from this seemingly straightforward
largo with such care and thought given to the phrasing and bringing a sense of
re-discovery to this early sonata. He controls the tempo and dynamics to perfection.
What a lovely Scherzo the third movement is, light and
beautifully textured with a terrific Trio
section that flows from the
scherzo so well. The Rondo (Grazioso)
opens thoughtfully with Brawn drawing so many fine details from the music,
showing this to be possibly the finest movement of this sonata. He allows the
music to unfold so naturally. There are some fine dynamics as the movement progresses
and some more beautifully fluent playing.
Piano Sonata No.17 in
D minor, Op.31 No.2 ‘The Tempest’ has a gloriously done opening in the
first movement Largo – Allegro
(largo) before the faster theme appears. It is how Brawn phrases this music so
perfectly that adds so much. The allegro is given playing of bravura but never
allowed to run away with itself, yet allowing all of Beethoven’s volatility to
be revealed. There is such exquisite poetry in the hushed episodes that
contrast so well with the volatile passages. This movement is full of surprise
and expectation as he moves from hushed poetry to the more dynamic passages.
Brawn connects the
quiet opening of the Adagio with the
opening of the first movement as the chord unfolds. It is again Brawn’s superb phrasing
that holds the tension and interest of the Adagio, a distinctive movement. He again
reveals aspects of Beethoven’s creation that I have not heard before. This is a
wonderfully conceived movement that hardly pauses before leading straight into
the Allegretto where Brawn lightly
moves off at a fine pace with some lovely control of rubato. His dynamics are
superbly done in this forward moving music. There is no lack of intensity in
the more dynamic moments with playing of considerable power.
With the Piano Sonata
No. 26 in E flat major, Op.81a ‘Les Adieux’ a finely judged Adagio leads into a very fine Allegro with Brawn’s musicianship
providing just the right degree of forward flow with fine dynamics. He finds
all the little details in the more intricate passages, often lost on many
pianists. Again his phrasing is superb.
Brawn brings a rather withdrawn quality to the opening of
the Andante espressivo as he slowly allows
the music to move ahead with such poetic playing and some wonderfully controlled
dynamic passages before running straight into the Vivacissimamente (Das Wiedersehen/Le Retour) bringing such a sudden
contrast. Here is playing of terrific strength, fluidity, control and dynamics
as well as delicacy aplenty provided by Brawn’s terrific touch, before a terrific
coda.
James Brawn’s Beethoven is really rather special, allying
fine musicianship with a superb technique that produces Beethoven playing of
the highest order.
Beautifully recorded by Jeremy Hayes and Ben Connellan at
Potton Hall, Suffolk, England and with excellent notes by Linda Marianiello and
James Brawn, this is looking to be a Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle to reckon with.
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