Born in England in 1971, Brawn’s career began in New
Zealand, where he commenced piano lessons at the age of seven. He played Bartók
on New Zealand television and won his first awards in Auckland. The family
moved to Australia the following year, where he studied with Margaret
Schofield, Ronald Farren-Price and Rita Reichman, winning major prizes at the
Melbourne Eisteddfods competitions, and the Hephzibah Menuhin Memorial
Scholarship. In 1987, Brawn reached the concerto final of the ABC Young
Performers Awards, which led to concerts with the Adelaide and Melbourne
Symphony Orchestras. He continued study with Rita Reichman in Philadelphia on a
grant from the Australia Arts Council, and in 1988 received a full scholarship
to the Royal Academy of Music, where he won many recital awards, including the
Beethoven Prize and 20th Century Prize.
At age 19, Brawn won the Keyboard Final of the Royal
Over-Seas League Music Competition, which resulted in solo recitals at Queen
Elizabeth Hall and chamber music partnerships at music societies and festivals
in the UK. From 1993-2001, Brawn taught piano and chamber music at King’s
College and St. John’s College schools in Cambridge, during which time he also
performed in recital with his wife, soprano Susan, and sister, oboist Victoria.
These collaborations led to performances at the Cambridge Elgar Festival and
the Purcell Room in London. From 1996-1998, Brawn and sister, Victoria, also
received sponsorship from the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme. In 2001, he
returned to Australia to take up a piano teaching position at the highly
regarded Scotch College, where he co-founded the biennial Scotch College Piano
Festival. Whilst teaching there, he appeared in recital at the Melba Festival,
Melba Conservatorium, Monash University and at music society events throughout
Victoria.
Brawn has recorded for RTHK Radio4 in Hong Kong, ABC Classic
FM, and 3MBS radio in Melbourne. He returned to the United Kingdom in 2010 and
is currently based in the Cotswolds. He performs regular solo recitals in
venues in Birmingham, Cheltenham, Chichester and London, including St. James’s
Piccadilly, Blackheath Halls, Foundling Museum, The Forge, Royal Over-Seas
League and St. Olave Church. Significant engagements include the Bösendorfer
concert series at St. Mary Magdalene and the ‘Pianists of the World’ series at
St.Martin-in-the-Fields. Brawn has performed in master classes with András
Schiff, Tamás Vásáry and Stephen Kovacevich, and studied chamber music with
members of the Amadeus and Chilingirian Quartets. Recital performances have
taken him to Hong Kong, Brunei, Paris, Sicily and New Orleans.
James Brawn has so
far recorded two Beethoven sonata discs for MSR Classics www.msrcd.com entitled A Beethoven Odyssey.
Volume 1 brings us Piano Sonatas No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1, No.3 in C major,
Op.2. No.3 and No.23 in F minor, Op.57 ‘Appassionata’.
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Piano Sonata No.3 in
C major, Op.2. No.3 shows such care in the hesitant opening of the Allegro con brio before the crashing
chords of the allegro appear. There is some formidable playing from Brawn in
the faster moving passages but he picks up on all the inner beauty of the
quieter passages. He has such a fine technique with, again, the tempo just
right, allowing the music to flow and naturally unfold before a terrific coda.
The Adagio brings a magical sense of
poetry with beautifully shaped phrases and wonderfully controlled dynamics in
the bolder passages that burst forth. The joyous Scherzo (Allegro) skips along in Brawn’s hands, the terrific
intricate rhythms brilliantly done. There is a great feeling of spontaneity
here. A really dazzling Allegro assai
concludes with some brilliant touches towards the coda.
There is a finely judged opening to the Allegro assai – Più
allegro of the Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op.57
‘Appassionata’ with no false
emphasis before the dramatic chords come. There is more fine rubato, well
controlled dynamics and a sure understanding of Beethoven’s architecture. The
music fairly hurtles to the coda with some very fine playing. There are so many
fine details as the Andante con moto
slowly works its way forward, beautifully paced and structured by this pianist.
Brawn brings terrific energy to the Allegro
ma non troppo – Presto with some glorious playing, picking up on all the
nervous energy and with a truly stormy, virtuosic coda.
Volume 2 of James
Brawn’s Beethoven Odyssey on MSR Classics www.msrcd.com
brings us Piano Sonatas No.8 in C minor,
Op.13 ‘Pathétique’, No. 14 in C sharp minor, op.27. No.2 ‘Moonlight’, the two ‘Leichte’
Sonatas No.19 in G minor, Op.49. No.1 and No.20 in G major, Op.49. No.2 as well
as Sonata No. 21 in C major, op.53 ‘Waldstein’.
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There is an exquisitely phrased opening to the Grave – Allegro molto e con brio Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13
‘Pathétique’ that draws one in immediately with, once again, Brawn bringing
his fine sense of pace and dynamics. When the allegro arrives it is so fleet and full of forward momentum with some
phenomenal playing, full of contrast, colours and nuances. In the Adagio cantabile it is lovely how Brawn
allows the music to flow in this real cantabile melody, always keeping the
forward flow. Despite the lighter opening to the Rondo (Allegro), as the movement progresses, Brawn provides plenty
of storm and angst, though never ignoring the subtler details.
With the Piano sonata
No. 14 in C sharp minor, op.27. No.2 ‘Moonlight’ Brawn achieves a quietly
glowing Adagio Sostenuto, full of
magic, never allowed to flag and with a fine gentle outpouring of feeling. He
takes up a gently buoyant tempo in the Allegretto
and trio, leading so well out of the Adagio and showing how Beethoven’s
emotional state was not much removed from the Adagio. There is lovely pacing and
subtle rubato, so carefully and beautifully done. The emotion really breaks out
in the Presto agitato with Brawn
rarely holding back, but when he does, it adds so much to the tension. This is
a terrific ‘Moonlight Sonata.’
Even in the two ‘Leichte’
Sonatas, often termed Sonatinas, Brawn delivers such subtle little nuances.
The Andante of No.19 in G minor, Op.49. No.1 is given a performance full of charm,
so fleet and beautifully phrased and the Rondo
(Allegro) receives crisp playing, full of rhythmic style and pulse. An
absolute delight. The Allegro ma non troppo of No.20 in G major, Op.49. No.2 seems almost to look back to Haydn
with Brawn showing every attraction of this light and intricate allegro. The
charming Tempo di Menuetto has a
lovely flow with Brawn showing how Beethoven could write with a direct
simplicity.
The opening of the Allegro con brio of the Piano Sonata No. 21
in C major, op.53 ‘Waldstein’ has a pulsating, magnetic tension that
anticipates the rhythmic drama to come. For all his terrific virtuoso display,
Brawn brings so much more in colour, texture and little nuances, not to mention
his superb rubato.
The gentle Introduzione
(Adagio molto), apparently replaced a much longer Andante. In Brawn’s hands
it provides a mesmerising and marked contrast to the outer movements. It is
lovely the way the adagio molto rolls
straight into the Rondo (Allegretto
moderato) – Prestissimo with the same gentle feel, only now more flowing
and resolute. Brawn again provides some beautifully nuanced colours, textures
and dynamics before the five final, powerful chords bring this sonata to an end.
What a fine ‘Waldstein’ to end this disc.
James Brawn shows so much fine musicianship making these
outstanding performances in every way. They are beautifully recorded at Potton
Hall, Suffolk, England. I look forward with great anticipation to future
releases in this Beethoven Odyssey.
Watch out for a review of a James Brawn recital disc of
works by Bach, Liszt, Mussorgsky and Rachmaninov coming soon.
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