A Piece of Wood / Benjamin Grosvenor at the QEH

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/115987-benjamin-grosvenor-piano-2018

https://www.benjamingrosvenor.co.uk

JS Bach: French Suite No.5 in G, BWV.816
Brahms: 4 Pieces, Op.119
Brett Dean: Hommage à Brahms
Interval
Debussy: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune arr. Leonard Borwick for piano
Berg: Sonata, Op.1
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit

 

“Even though I’m often a mess, inside me there’s still a calm, clear, harmony of music.” Vincent Van Gogh

The shimmering lights of London have their own song. They sing it on the buildings, in the parks and on the river. Their constant music knows about each one of our stories. We walk the streets barefoot, we dance around the buildings at dawn, we get tangled in the wings of the blackbirds – the coloratura masters of nature – in the parks, and then we savour the water of the Thames dripping cold from our foreheads into our warm lips. We – there is such a thing still, in this world of differences and conflict.

If only we understood each other as easily as sound understands silence, as the Autumn leave rotting on the ground understands the brave green bud finding its way towards the sun on a newly awoken day. If only music could always make such a difference as it made tonight, those flickering lights of the city would be singing about a different kind of humanity, a world where we could all find a home.

It is an act of braveness to generously ask for understanding. And what an essential and wonderful feeling it is to be truly understood. Every time a great pianist plays, he is searching for home.

For some, home is the Klavier. Sitting down in front of a piece of wood, eyes closed, the hands making a journey from the body towards the instrument, then suspended for a moment in the air, until the fingers land on the keys and create the first sound. We might wish there was another home, a land where we can feel protected, but we ask the piano for it. We might long for a home made of flesh and blood, full of human feelings, but we ask the piano for it. All we might dream of is a home where we can find ourselves, but we ask the piano for it. And we offer it all, in every single touch, to this piece of wood.

Sobriety and elegance. Here is not only a feeler but a thinker on stage, a philosopher. If you’ve had enough of juggling monkeys in red tutus and golden vests pretending to be pianists, I highly recommend you switch to Grosvenor from now on. Not a showman, still at the piano, extremely focused, with an intimately poetic approach.

The opening Bach had perfectly contrasting dynamics, intelligently chosen accentuation, rhythmic precision, not too dry or abusing the (always very popular Glenn-Gouldian) staccatos, with a total understanding of the use of the pedal, generous but also contained,  warm cantabiles and exquisitely rounded melodic lines.

He combined Brahms and Dean, alternating the works, one after another, enhancing Dean’s ethereal, otherworldly and esoteric character, and approached Brahms  with a strong and powerful tone. Debussy, Berg and Ravel harmoniously blended in the second half, creating a homogeneous well chosen programme. Technically fit, mentally sharp, emotionally mature.

Grosvenor is aware of the seeker, the home and the piece of wood. And his journey tonight was remarkable.

 

28 Apr This entry was published on April 28, 2018 at 9:34 am and is filed under music. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.