Sean Godden plays the Hammerklavier at Steinway Hall
‘Youthful fire in service of the Greats’
An appreciation by Elena Vorotko, co Artistic director of the Keyboard Trust
Steinway Hall in London opened its doors and piano lid for the Keyboard Trust New Artist recital once again. It was a newly fledged model D, plastic films still protecting the pedals, its grandeur ready to be discovered. Discovered it was, by a 20-year-old Sean Godden, 3rd year student at the Royal Northern College of Music studying with Graham Scott. The opening chords of Handel’s 5th Suite transported the audience into a large cathedral, filled with glorious lines, whispering and grand columns of harmony in the improvisatory Prelude. Creating a rich ambience with his pedalling, Sean flowed smoothly through the conversations between the voices in the Allemande, timing the pace with flexibility and poise. The sharply articulated Courante was full of surprises, creating a boisterous contrast. The famous ‘Harmonious Blacksmith’ followed as the final movement of the Suite. Best known as a separately performed piece that is rumoured to have been inspired by a blacksmith’s hammer striking the anvil with a repeated note – B, as was witnessed by Handel who had sheltered in a smithy from rain. Whatever the origin, this famous piece does not fail to excite with its progressively faster notes, starting with crotchets and quavers, then semi-quavers, then triplets and semi-demi-quavers. Sean took a brisk tempo at the start and did not budge when it came to the pages blackened with notes – it was an exciting rendition! A little less pedal and more finger articulation to accentuate the start of each note, a little like the harpsichord, would add extra fire to the otherwise stellar performance.
Read more here at Christopher Axworthy’s blog
