Visions and Ventures Stephen Beville

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Prelude & Fugue in E Major, BWV 878:
• 1Bach: Prelude & Fugue in E Major, BWV 878: I. Prelude04:13
• 2Bach: Prelude & Fugue in E Major, BWV 878: II. Fugue03:09
• Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953): Visions Fugitives, Op. 22:
• 3Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 1, Lentamente01:02
• 4Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 2, Andante01:40
• 5Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 3, Allegretto00:57
• 6Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 4, Animato00:57
• 7Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 5, Molto giocoso00:23
• 8Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 6, Con eleganza00:36
• 9Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 7, Pittoresco (Arpa)02:31
• 10Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 8, Comodo01:14
• 11Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 9, Allegretto tranquillo01:06
• 12Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 10, Ridicolosamente00:51
• 13Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 11, Con vivacità00:57
• 14Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 12, Assai moderato00:55
• 15Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 13, Allegretto00:45
• 16Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 14, Feroce01:02
• 17Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 15, Inquieto00:51
• 18Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 16, Dolente01:27
• 19Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 17, Poetico00:53
• 20Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 18, Con una dolce lentezza01:14
• 21Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 19, Presto agitatissimo e molto accentuato00:47
• 22Prokofiev: Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: No. 20, Lento irrealmente01:50
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Piano Sonata in E-Flat Major, Op. 7 "Grand":
• 23Beethoven: Piano Sonata in E-Flat Major, Op. 7 "Grand": I. Allegro molto e con brio08:49
• 24Beethoven: Piano Sonata in E-Flat Major, Op. 7 "Grand": II. Largo con gran espressione07:42
• 25Beethoven: Piano Sonata in E-Flat Major, Op. 7 "Grand": III. Allegro - Trio04:28
• 26Beethoven: Piano Sonata in E-Flat Major, Op. 7 "Grand": IV. Rondo. Poco allegretto e grazioso06:59
• Total Runtime57:18

Info for Visions and Ventures

Works from three different musical eras seemingly unconnected – but in the mind of Pianist Stephen Beville very linked – hence the album title – as inspired by Visions and Ventures: Bach always a visionary musically and guided by his religious faith; Beethoven venturing into Romanticism with revolutionary ideas and optimism for a better world; Prokofiev caught up in the unrest in pre-revolutionary Russia, sketching pieces to escape the political turmoil – at least in his imagination. The Visions Fugitives come from a composer in his mid-twenties, just graduated and full of musical confidence, and are typically Prokofievian while some contain radical modernist elements. The Beethoven Sonata is likewise the work of a young 26-year old. It is full of playful invention and optimism and is perhaps one his most appealing works. Stephen Beville was acclaimed in 2010 as ‘one of the most talented young musicians to emerge from the UK’. (Frankfurter Neue Press). His interpretations have been compared to Arrau, Rubinstein and Ax. Rock-solid technique and virtuosity while avoiding showmanship have informed his playing from student days at the Junior Royal Academy in London from age 11, tutoring from the great Peter Katin, and postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in England and the Hochschule für Music in Karlsruhe. He has performed in many international festivals. As well as a firm grounding in classical and 20th century repertoire, Stephen Beville is also a busy composer, his works having been performed by several leading new-music ensembles. Stephen’s debut album ‘Stephen Beville in Karlsruhe’ was given warm reception on its release: 'Beville is a thoughtful artist, whose accounts of each of the established masterpieces here are well worth hearing.' - Robert Matthew-Walker (Musical Opinion) 'An intelligent, controlled and searching pair of hands quite capable of imparting power as well as finesse.' (Gary Lemco, Audiophile Audition)

Stephen Beville, piano

Stephen Beville
Acclaimed as ‘one of the most talented young musicians to emerge from the UK’ by the Frankfurter Neue Press, Stephen Beville made his ‘concerto debut’ while still at school, and has gone on to perform with orchestras such as the Baden-Philharmonie.

From 1989- 1994, Stephen attended the Royal Academy of Music (Junior Academy) learning composition, piano and conducting. Having won a Yamaha scholarship, he read Music at the Universities of York and Huddersfield. During this time he studied the piano privately with Peter Katin. He graduated in 1998 with First Class Honours and was awarded the Wilfrid Mellers prize and Rodwell prize.

Stephen continued his studies with Benjamin Frith at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He was awarded the Postgraduate Diploma and Mmus in Performance with Composition, as well as the Professional Performance Diploma with Distinction – the highest accolade of the RNCM. He is the winner of RNCM scholarships for piano and composition and the recipient of the Lucy Pierce Award. He has performed with the RNCM Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and New Ensemble in a range of music, not least his own work.

In 2001, Stephen won a DAAD scholarship to study at the Staadt Hochschule fur Musik in Karlsurhe, Germany; piano with Fany Solter and composition with Wolfgang Rihm. There he obtained two Konzertexamens for performance and composition with highest marks. In addition, he received a scholarship from the Heinrich Strobel Foundation (Freiburg) to support his studies, where he explored possibilities of live instrumental performance with electronic resources available at the computer studio. This resulted in compositions with piano such as The Echoing Sky, Three Michelangelo Pieces and Fashionism – Scenes of Youth for electric guitar, piano, percussion and electronics. All have been performed to critical acclaim – the first piece in collaboration with the Badische Konservatorium to mark 400 years of keyboard music.

Stephen’s music has been performed in such venues as the RAM, British Information Centre, The Barbican, Kings College (London) the RNCM (Manchester), the ZKM (Centre for Arts and Media), HFG, the Insel Theatre (Karlsruhe), BKA Theatre (Berlin) – and under such conductors as Martyn Brabbins and Andre de Ridder. The early Chamber Concerto was premiered by the Manson Ensemble, before being selected by the Society for Promotion of New Music for professional performance by Music-Projects, London. Other works that have been short listed by the SPNM include the Ballade for Eight Players , Purgatory Pieces for string quartet, and Epicycle for chamber orchestra. Epicycle was first performed by the RNCM New Ensemble in 2000 before being revised for its German premiere by the Badische Staadtskapelle in 2004. Recent works include the Grand Partita for Speaker and Orchestra. In 2011, a first volume of his music was published by the Berlin based music publishers, Simon-Verlag fur Bibliothekwissen.

As soloist, Stephen has given recitals throughout Britain and Germany, his performances receiving outstanding reviews. He has participated in international festivals such as the Huddersfield Contemporary Music festival, the RNCM ‘Glories of the Keyboard’ and ‘American Reflections’ festivals, the ‘KlangRiffe’ festival of New Music (ZKM, Karlsurhe) and the London New Wind festival. He has made recordings and given interviews for SWR (South West German Radio).

Booklet for Visions and Ventures