SJE Arts International Piano Series: Elisabeth Brauß
About SJE Arts International Piano Series: Elisabeth Brauß
Bach Capriccio in B-flat major BWV 992
Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 26, op. 81a ‘Les Adieux’
Interval
R. Schumann Geistervariationen ‘Ghost Variations’
Prokofiev Piano Sonata no. 7, op. 83 ‘Stalingrad’
Born in Hannover in 1995, Elisabeth Brauß is one of the most exciting musicians of her generation. She performs across Europe and, as a former BBC New Generation Artist, is a frequent visitor to the UK.
Her current season includes a return to Wigmore Hall for a solo recital and concerto engagements with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It also sees her touring North America with concerts in Montreal and across the USA, ending at the Phillips Collection Museum, Washington DC.
Elisabeth’s performance of Robert Schumann’s Carnaval in the 2024 Piano Series was so popular that she was instantly invited back. This time she plays his ‘Ghost Variations’, a work composed in the period immediately before his admission to the asylum for the insane. Schumann was suffering hallucinations, voices were playing music to him and allowing him, in his own words, ‘magnificent revelations’.
Works with titles are intriguing, and Elisabeth gives us two more. ‘Les Adieux’ was Beethoven’s farewell to his patron Archduke Rudolph, when he was forced to leave Vienna as Napoleon’s army took the city. ‘Stalingrad,’ one of Prokofiev’s three War Sonatas, is hard to pin down. It contains some of Prokofiev’s most dissonant and brutal writing but also some of his warmest. The contrast is a perpetually interesting one.
Watch Elisabeth perform Mozart’s Piano Sonata in A minor, Wigmore Hall, January 2022
Reviews
“Following a spell as a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, German pianist Elisabeth Brauß is making a name for herself in the UK. Stylistically assured, her playing bristles with vitality. I recall a terrific Prokofiev Second Piano Sonata at Wigmore Hall…..”
Bachtrack – Rising Stars: ten to watch in 2024-25
“The maturity and sophistication of her thoughtful interpretations would be the pride of any pianist twice her age.”
SJE Arts Oxford is a concert venue and arts organisation based at St John the Evangelist Church on Iffley Road, Oxford.
The church itself was built in the 19th century as part of a monastery established by the Cowley Fathers, an Anglican religious community. Its striking Victorian Gothic architecture and serene atmosphere provide an exceptional setting for artistic and cultural events.
Since its transformation into an arts venue, SJE Arts has become known for its outstanding acoustics and diverse programming. It regularly hosts classical music concerts, jazz performances, choral recitals, and more, attracting internationally acclaimed musicians and ensembles. The venue also contributes to the cultural vibrancy of Oxford by offering visual arts exhibitions, lectures, and community events.
Conveniently located near the city centre, SJE Arts blends history and culture, making it a favourite destination for locals and visitors seeking enriching artistic experiences.
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