Benjamin Grosvenor at the Billy Mayerl Society, 27 June 2004

[@123snowball]

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this extraordinary musician perform live on several occasions. Watching this incredible video again serves to remind us just what we have in him. Not just the astounding technical command in those chubby schoolboy hands but the delicacy of touch, control and the phrasing of a mature musician. Mind blowing.

[@dennischiapello7243]

That piano has a gorgeous tone, and the recorded sound is beautifully present and clear. Ben Grosvenor, of course, is simply incredible.

[@carlhopkinson]

Great pianist....and such a nice kid too.....hats off to both him AND his parents and teachers!!!

[@charleshudson5330]

What gorgeous restraint and delicacy to his playing. Never is he trying to showoff.

[@saltburner2738]

This was a month before his twelfth birthday! Amazing.

[@oliverromain1814]

Just discovered Billy Mayerl through buying some sheet music at a charity shop. Now I have discovered Benjamin too. Piano bar with a Martini, yes please!

[@pianodudeler]

Compliments to whoever prepared the piano and the playing is so sensitive. The pedalling in Marigold was just right. The audience appear to be suitably stunned!

[@jorgefuentes4877]

A gift from heaven.

[@DaveYostCom]

just under 12 years old. There are no words.

[@KenWAnderson]

Thanks for sharing this! I am, with you all, following Benjamin now. What an incredible gift.

[@bachopinbee5991]

Already gonna cry!!!! Simply amazing!

[@65attila]

My ears and heart are so Happy.

[@MichaelAlexander1967]

Absolutely amazing! I've seen pictures of Benjamin Grosvenor, but this is my 1st time listening. An absolutely amazing talent. The 1st piece I heard him play was the "Horowitz Stars & Stripes", so I had to hear more, & this video was a great find. Thanks for posting. Mr. Grosvenor is so inspiring! That Chopin piece was "heavenly divine"!

[@cynthiamclaglen5687]

It is lovely to hear "Marigold" again. My mother, Katharine H Marjoribanks, concert and Jazz pianist, used to play it often. She joined Billy Mayerl's team of Female pianists in the 1930s, after being the Empressario Mario's pianist and accompanist; and joined the many ladies who played on many pianos at once in London Theatre in the 1930s and early 40s. She had been able to play as a young child and sight read very well at the age of seven, accompanying Madame Melba as she sang, and had a lesson with Billy Mayerl for her 13th birthday present. Little did she know that one day she would join him and his many pianists and play in front of London audiences. She could play anything by ear and then improvise around the main tune in very little time, and also change key very quickly. She played many of the pieces found here, with specialities in Bach; Mozart, Debussy, Schuman, and there was not much she could not play. Boogie Woogie, improvisation, the lot! Cynthia McLaglen

[@baward]

Cynthia McLaglen lovely memories for you!

[@cynthiamclaglen5687]

@@baward Most certainly. She taught me to play with her, so we played at two pianos the jazz pieces, with me playing the tune and she improvising around the tune. At first I did not practise but then I got the bug and when I was 11,to 12, began practising more. By the time I was 14, I could play quite a lot. The problem is to keep the practise up, when one's life changes. Cynthia McLaglen

[@LeRainbow]

Amazing recording.

[@risingchads]

Give credt to Mike Lorenzini for this - the venue, the piano, the video, and the superb opportunities he gave to pianists over many years. Look out for the Shellwood CD "Ben at Ten", made a year before this.

[@DaveYostCom]

00:15 Mayerl - Marigold 03:02 Chopin/Balakirev - Romance 11:54 MayerI - Syncopated Studies 6 12:56 MayerI - Syncopated Studies 5 14:23 MayerI - Shallow Waters 17:45 Mayerl - Bats In The Belfry 19:37 Rachmaninov - Prelude in G major 22:35 Rachmaninov - Prelude in G sharp minor 25:32 Chopin - Scherzo No1 34:44 Hough - Musical Jewellery Box 37:48 Glinka/Balakirev - The Lark 43:09 Chopin - Fantasie Impromptu 48:03 Mayerl - Railroad Rhythm 51:20 Gershwin - I Got Rhythm

[@baward]

+Dave Yost thank you Dave, I'll put these in once I work out how to do links in YT descriptions :-)

[@MikeSmith-te7yp]

Dave Yost Chopin/Balakirev? Isn’t this the second movement of one of Chopin’s concert? Or is this a transcription?

[@p1anosteve]

Absolutely lovely . Well worth waiting for!

[@Chopinfreak55]

This is just amazing!

[@Mingxieplays]

Thx SOOOOO much for uploading

[@a320214]

VIRTUOSO !!!! so wonderful !!!!! W.O.W. !!!!

[@EmilianoManna]

Musically mature, versatile, with a warm sound and a wide repertoire: even the little Grosvenor was a giant!

[@simondavis8300]

Extremely rare talent indeed. Genius is over used. I am not hesitating here...

[@mikekarren5010]

I've been following Benjamin on KZbin, what a wonderful pianist! I agree with the opinion that he is one of the best piainsts living. I wonder what kind of piano the Mayerl Society provided for him to play here.

[@eddiereedbigband1]

An incredible instrument ! It looks like a late 1920s early 30s era Steinway to me.

[@risingchads]

Seiler, 1980s or thereabouts. I used it many times for pianola recitals.

[@christopherczajasager9030]

A l r e a d y. Evincing the transcendental gift 😊

[@Degenerate_Gen]

Holy shit!

[@walterwolfglick5246]

I like this.

[@isabellek1171]

i like the musical jewellery box :)

[@paolofranceschi6874]

Che carino.

[@stefanolostia9184]

Genio incredibile

[@peterwillig1782]

Sheer genius.

[@andynew2]

To quote Dire Straits. The boy can play.

[@greatsnipe8330]

He i-s music. I really liked "Railroad Rythm".

[@PiotrBarcz]

This was filmed by Mike Lorenzini right? It certainly sounds and looks like his work.

[@Bip32able]

décontraction et chic fou dans toute les pièces de Billy Mayerl

[@opustravels3659]

Is that a ghost walking through the door at 34:35?

[@wjh7514]

Ben: GOD!

[@josephlaredo5272]

Who says the Golden Age of pianism is dead? (And who are those two people who didn't like this? They need hunting down by Interpol and incarcerating in an institution for the critically insane.)

[@dennischiapello7243]

They must be other pianists!

[@eddiereedbigband1]

Those two don't need condemning; they are obviously already suffering in h^*l.

[@Sebastienrosato]

Shakespeare, mr Bean , Grosvenor.

[@davidherz9968]

God, what a staid audience, I guess they were not allowing themselves to show overmuch enthusiasm

[@andrewbarrett1537]

I get the sense they are dumbstruck/awestruck by to what they are bearing witness.

[@ashbell1046]

It remains profoundly disconcerting that a kid can do this. He’s not just dialing it in as a rote technician, there is great kindness and grokking of the material going on here. As an atheist I don’t believe in reincarnation, but fuck me if this isn’t a solid argument for it.

[@jorgefuentes4877]

A gift from heaven.

[@andrewbarrett1537]

I have heard OF this man for years, but never heard him play 'till now. I realize this is from 15 years ago. This young man plays better than most adults I've heard. He is on par with the greats in his phrasing, feeling, interpretation... no, he IS one of the greats. I do hope all this praise doesn't go to his head, and to put into perspective, I had just started learning piano around age 9/10 and could barely play "Pop Goes the Weasel" at his age. He obviously started much earlier, but there are so many 'prodigies' or early-starters out there that I've heard, that don't have the innate musicality this man does. It's incredible. I [shamefully] usually talk and critique piano performances when watching at home (even those I could never come close to matching), but when this started, I had nothing to say... jaw hanging open the whole way... I can find nothing wrong with any of this. Some of the best piano playing, and some of the best music, I've ever heard. Thanks for recording this in such high definition (especially for 2004), thanks for providing a perfect piano, thanks to the composers for creating these pieces, and thanks expecially to Benjamin Grosvenor for a genius performance.

[@AntoineGrangier]

it makes me ache all over to see such a genius and to realize how talentless I am.

[@TheBill3333]

Amazing playing. Such good ability to render different moods. Very heartwarming.

[@eddiereedbigband1]

Ben's performance here has lifted my spirits so many times, so this time, I must leave a salute, but I read seven or so of comments ahead of me, and I'm dumbfounded. All I can think is to add that I saw Ben in San Diego awhile back. Ben is a grownup now, but his sold-out performance was surrounded by youngsters of all ages. I stood in line to purchase a personalized autographed CD. I observed Ben autograph everyone's purchase in line ahead of me with the same grace and honesty with which he plays the piano. Thank you for sharing this video; it is a treasure !

[@baward]

I thought it was “Benjamin” 😁

[@peterbrenton410]

Some very expressive and technically impressive playing for someone so young .In Shallow waters ,there's a hint of Scriabin

[@ananthd4797]

Having listened to classical piano for several years, it's not often that I come across something which truly blows my mind. This performance here is special. Especially the Mayerl.

[@baward]

I agree, Anath D, he is a phenomenal player even at that age.

[@carolegleed9867]

Beautiful I love This music,what an amazing pianist.

[@irynafernandova2342]

Чудесное звучание!!!

[@danilobonachea1575]

Un genio ,,,!,,,,,,,,

[@jewellevy]

Ben always plays with a warm rich tone.

[@cavendish009]

Brilliant !