Watching Benjamin Frith play Beethoven was like watching a battle between hand and keys. Frith's method of 'attacking' the keys was most unusual, but obviuously worked for him, as the sound he produced and the emotion he was able to convey was undeniably beautiful.
Beethoven's '32 Variations On An Original Theme' was written when he was 36 years old and in his variations you can quite clearly see how his quite brilliant mind was flirting between the 'old' Classical style of composing and his 'new' avant-garde approach to composing hailing the start of the Romantic period and changing composition forever.
Following this Frith played the rather cinematic Liebestod - a piano arrangement by Liszt of Wagner's aria. Two further pieces by Listz followed, and then a complete change of mood as we were swooned by Busoni's clever Fantasia On Themes From Bizet's Carmen. A short romantic piece of music by Granados, more known for his classical guitar compositions, followed, and the concert ended with for me the most interesting piece of the selection, Manuel De Falla's Fantasia Baetica. It is a flamboyant piece of writing playing with harmonic and chromatic structure, and although it was a little long perhaps, it was excellently played and very enjoyable.
A lovely selection of piano pieces both familiar and new-to-me.- and played by a hugely skilled and emotive pianist.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 22/8/19
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