Prom 3: Benjamin Grosvenor piano recital - 16 July 2023

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

11:00 Sunday 16 July 2023
Royal Albert Hall

Claude Debussy: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, arr. Borwick
Franz Liszt: Réminiscences de Norma
Maurice Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin
Maurice Ravel: La valse

Benjamin Grosvenor piano

[FFAdminMKS]

Topic now open

[Belgrove]

This is the only Prom I’ve had the opportunity to listen to so far this season, but I found it utterly absorbing and a delight. The piano transcription of the Debussy by Borwick is new to me and rather successful, beguilingly played by Grosvenor. One can admire the virtuosity of the Liszt without necessarily appreciating the musical content, but his playing of Le tombeau de Couperin was refined, elegant and entirely to my taste. Worth a listen.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This is the only Prom I’ve had the opportunity to listen to so far this season, but I found it utterly absorbing and a delight. The piano transcription of the Debussy by Borwick is new to me and rather successful, beguilingly played by Grosvenor. One can admire the virtuosity of the Liszt without necessarily appreciating the musical content, but his playing of Le tombeau de Couperin was refined, elegant and entirely to my taste. Worth a listen.

Agreed - a magnificent recital. I really hope it is released as a download or CD - it deserves to be . So much better than the Lang Lang recital of a few years back and yet the latter is the world famous celebrity. I honestly believe Ben G has the finest technique of any British pianist I’ve ever heard - he’s up there with the best of the Russians - but he also has musical sensitivity in spades. Hardly any one ever plays the Liszt Reminiscences of Norma in recital - it’s so difficult and musically demanding. Ben made it sound effortless . And as for the La Valse transcription I just don’t know how he got his fingers round the notes. Beautiful sensitive playing also in the Debussy and Le Tombeau.

[Alison]

I have seen the programme criticised elsewhere but for me it was a unique and wholly fulfilling one. Phenomenally accurate playing with the Swan a perfect and delectable encore.

[Barbirollians]

Cannot wait to catch up with this one.

[Jonathan]

I, perhaps understandably, caught the Liszt but missed the rest! I'll catch up later on

[Retune]

An excellent programme, wonderfully performed. But the Hall seemed less than half full at 11AM on a Sunday morning (I was in the Choir, and they were offering free upgrades to the Stalls). He really deserves a better slot.

[gradus]

A brilliantly played recital from a pianist of the front rank, I'm surprised to hear that it was poorly attended, he deserves better.

[Ein Heldenleben]

An excellent programme, wonderfully performed. But the Hall seemed less than half full at 11AM on a Sunday morning (I was in the Choir, and they were offering free upgrades to the Stalls). He really deserves a better slot.

I wonder if it was the programme ? Had it been Chopin / Rachmaninov it might have been a different story. Whatever the reason it remains one of the best piano recitals I’ve heard in the last few years - and I listen to just about every one R3 transmits.

[Retune]

I wonder if it was the programme ? Had it been Chopin / Rachmaninov it might have been a different story.

Maybe so, though I think 11AM will always be a hard sell for a large central London venue, even on a Sunday. It was even earlier than the András Schiff Beethoven sonata concert last year. Maybe a late night Prom would be better if they didn't think they could justify an evening slot? As for the programme, I'd never heard of Leonard Borwick, who arranged the Debussy (sounds like an interesting pianist, though sadly he left no recordings). It was certainly a very effective arrangement! I didn't know the Liszt either, but will certainly listen to that again. Le Tombeau de Couperin is core repertoire, of course, though maybe less of a draw than something like Gaspard de la Nuit. I would have thought the chance to hear La Valse played live (one reason why I booked this one) would sell some tickets, but maybe the piano transcriptions aren't as well known they might be (the solo piano version is often omitted from 'complete' Ravel solo piano collections). The two piano version is great too (Martha Argerich has an excellent recording with Nelson Freire), though what first sold me on these transcriptions was a very exciting live solo recording by Yuja Wang that featured on a Verbier 2008 highlights DVD, and has just been released together with the rest of her recital as an audio download.