Ben Grosvenor is a young Englishman (b. 1992). He was the youngest solo artist (19) to open the Proms at Royal Albert Hall.
In 2011 he was the first British pianist signed by Decca in 60 years. He was also the youngest artist Decca has ever signed. Not bad for starters…
Decca has always had state of the art piano sound. Vladimir Ashkenazy recorded prolifically (85 CDs) from the early 70s. Radu Lupu’s box of ten was released in 2022. We’re so spoiled to have the best music from the Classical and Romantic eras recorded on Decca with such talented players.
Decca’s sound is more direct, dynamic and a bit less mellow than DGG’s. I luv it! We’re fortunate the tradition continues with Grosvenor.
This recording features the most romantic of Romantic era composers, Robert Schumann. I’m an over the top Schumann fan and have many versions of many of his piano works. Schumann wrote almost exclusively for piano at a young age, when he was chasing the ladies about. You can hear his lust in the music.
Kreisleriana was written in 1939 when Schumann was 29. It has 8 movements, a 35 minute masterpiece of flowing melodies and emotion. If you don’t like Kreisleriana, please report to be tuned up by a defibrillator.
Ben’s playing, with Decca’s magnificent sound, is NOT to miss. This playing is literally the definition of the Romantic period of classical music. No matter what other versions you have of this work, don’t miss getting this one.
Schumann wrote three piano sonatas. They’re all GREAT! Sonatas #1 & 2 are played often and every piano fan should have them. Sonata #3 is call Concerto for Piano Without Orchestra. It contains what I think is the most hauntingly beautiful funeral march ever written. On this CD you can hear the portion of the sonata with Schumann’s writing on track 11. On track 13 we get to hear Clara Schumann’s variations on this most magnificent of themes. The CD is worth buying just for 11:31 of Clara’s spin on Robert’s work.
Grosvenor rounds out the disc with some of the most beautiful music Brahms created.
