on 1 February 2025

Recital and talk featuring William Sterndale Bennett

on the 150th anniversary of the composer's death

Photographs by David Hogg of Horizon Imaging.

Heralded by The Times as “just the sort of champion the newest of new music needs”, while being praised as “impeccable in his pianism and unfailing in his idiomatic grasp” by Gramophone, Hiroaki Takenouchi’s curiosity and a natural penchant for integrity makes his playing and vast repertoire unique amongst his generation of pianists. His love for the music of classical masters – particularly Haydn, Beethoven and Chopin – sits side by side with his passion for the music of Medtner, lesser-known British composers such as Sterndale Bennett and Parry, and the contemporary repertoire.

As a soloist, Takenouchi has appeared on many concert platforms including Wigmore Hall, Tokyo Opera City and the South Bank Centre. He has also performed at festivals in Bath, Cheltenham and Salzburg and given recitals in the UK, Japan, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy and Canada. His more unusual projects have included a recital for the Rarities of Piano Repertoire Festival in Husum (Germany), a BBC Four documentary The Prince and the Composer on the life and music of Parry alongside the then Prince of Wales, and BBC Radio 3’s Composer of the Week, for which Hiroaki has recorded solo piano works by William Sterndale Bennett and Alexander Campbell Mackenzie. More recently he was invited to make further recordings for the programme, this time of Hélène de Montgeroult, Dorothy Howell, Doreen Carwithen and Johanna Müller-Hermann amongst others, as part of BBC Radio 3’s initiative, the ‘Forgotten Women Composers Project’.

Takenouchi’s discography includes Schumann & Sterndale Bennett (Artalinna), Haydn: 4 Sonatas (Artalinna), Cosmos Haptic: Contemporary Piano Music from Japan (LORELT), as well as world première recordings of works by James Dillon (NMC), Edwin Roxburgh (NMC) and Jeremy Dale Roberts (LORELT). 2022 saw the releases of his latest solo disc on French specialist piano label Artalinna, featuring multi-movement works by Grieg, Medtner and Dupré, followed by a two-piano arrangement of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony for Lyrita with pianist Simon Callaghan. In 2024 they released ‘Danza Gaya’, music for two pianos by British composers Madeline Dring, Dorothy Howell and Pamela Harrison. The duo has also recorded two-piano arrangements of Delius’s orchestral works (SOMM), a disc of Percy Sherwood and Parry (Lyrita) and two-piano arrangements by Saint-Saëns of sonatas by Chopin and Liszt (Nimbus). Hiroaki is also editor of the published scores of Sherwood’s two-piano works (as recorded for Lyrita), now available from Nimbus Music Publishing. His recording of the Mendelssohn and Sterndale Bennett Sextets with members of Sinfonia Cymru (Artalinna) was released in May 2023.

The Russian composer Georgy Catoire’s music is somewhat neglected today but Takenouchi is a passionate advocate of his Piano Concerto and recorded the work with Martin Yates and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Their recording was released in 2012 on Dutton Epoch along with Percy Sherwood’s Piano Concerto, in another world première recording, which garnered excellent reviews in the press. Towards the end of 2016 Takenouchi went on to give the modern-day premiere of the Piano Concerto with London Phoenix Orchestra, the first performance since its premiere in 1920 at The Proms.

Hiroaki has performed a complete cycle of Mozart’s piano sonatas, spread over eight concerts at London’s Conway Hall, a feat which he repeated across five concerts in three days at the Gauteng International Arts Festival in Pretoria, South Africa.

Takenouchi is also a keen educator and teaches in various roles at the Royal College of Music, Trinity Laban and the Junior Conservatoire of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Hiroaki Takenouchi is a Blüthner Artist and owns a beautiful 1922 Blüthner piano.

• Sterndale Bennett
  • "The Lake” Op.10 No.1
  • Romance in B flat minor, Op.14 no.1
  • Studies in the Form of Capriccios, Op.11
  • Sonata in F minor, Op.13
• Schumann
  • Études symphoniques, Op.13
• Mendelssohn
  • Songs without Words

Hiroaki Takenouchi, a pianist renowned for his sensitivity and intellectual depth, presents a programme that celebrates the poetry and virtuosity of the Romantic era. The evening’s repertoire features the works of three 19th-century composers: William Sterndale Bennett, Robert Schumann, and Felix Mendelssohn. Takenouchi’s performance promises an exploration of deeply lyrical and technically demanding compositions, offering a rare blend of introspection, narrative, and brilliance.

Sterndale Bennett, one of Britain’s most distinguished composers of the Romantic period, opens the recital with The Lake, Op.10 No.1. This piece is a sparkling evocation of nature’s beauty, inspired by the tranquility and majesty of a lakeside scene. Its rippling textures and flowing melodic lines create an atmosphere of serene reflection. The imagery evoked by the music—of gentle waves glistening under soft light or the subtle play of wind over still waters—is underpinned by Bennett’s careful craftsmanship. Through delicate shifts in harmony and intricate pianistic writing, he captures both the stillness of the lake and the gentle motion of its waters. This composition reflects Bennett’s close relationship with Mendelssohn, whose influence can be discerned in the clarity of form and luminous textures. Takenouchi’s interpretative finesse will undoubtedly bring out the nuanced dynamics and vivid imagery inherent in this work, immersing the audience in its pastoral charm. This opening sets a contemplative tone for the evening, inviting listeners to reflect on the union of nature and music in Romantic aesthetics.

The Romance in B flat minor, Op.14 No.1, follows with a darker, more introspective character. This short yet profoundly emotional piece unfolds like a wistful soliloquy, with a melancholic melody framed by lush, expressive harmonies. Its sense of longing and bittersweet beauty exemplifies the Romantic spirit, where music becomes a medium for personal expression. Composed during a period of personal significance for Sterndale Bennett, the Romance showcases his gift for combining simplicity with emotional depth. The main theme—aching yet tender—is supported by subtle harmonic shifts that enhance its poignancy. Its lyrical elegance and yearning phrases invite the listener into a world of intimate reflection, almost as though overhearing a private conversation between the composer and his piano. Takenouchi’s sensitivity to tone and phrasing will be crucial in conveying the work’s heartfelt emotion, drawing the audience into its contemplative narrative. His ability to highlight the interplay between melodic lines and harmonic undercurrents will further deepen the emotional impact of this gem.

Sterndale Bennett’s Studies in the Form of Capriccios, Op.11, is a set of character pieces that combines technical brilliance with playful inventiveness. Each study explores a unique mood or technical challenge, ranging from fleet-fingered dexterity to moments of lyrical repose. These pieces are not mere exercises but finely crafted works of art, demonstrating Bennett’s ability to marry form with expressive content. The Capriccios reflect the influence of the virtuoso tradition of the early 19th century, particularly that of Chopin and Mendelssohn, yet they retain a distinctly English voice. The lively interplay of rhythmic complexity and melodic charm in these studies showcases Bennett’s understanding of the piano’s expressive and technical possibilities. From sparkling arpeggios to intricate counterpoint, each Capriccio reveals a facet of Bennett’s compositional ingenuity. Takenouchi’s ability to balance precision with expressive freedom will highlight the wit and charm that permeates this collection, offering a glimpse into the composer’s multifaceted artistry. His virtuosity and nuanced interpretation will illuminate the subtleties of these pieces, ensuring that their technical challenges never overshadow their musical depth.

The Sonata in F minor, Op.13, is Sterndale Bennett’s most substantial piano work, a grand statement of his Romantic sensibility and compositional craft. Structured in four movements, the Sonata begins with a dramatic opening movement that juxtaposes brooding intensity with lyrical interludes. The opening theme—a turbulent yet noble melody—establishes a sense of urgency, while the contrasting second theme offers a glimpse of tender lyricism. The development section showcases Bennett’s skill in transforming and reimagining these themes, creating a narrative of conflict and resolution. The second movement, a tender Andante, unfolds as a song without words, its flowing lines imbued with poetic grace. This movement is often likened to an aria, its melody soaring above a delicate accompaniment. The scherzo-like third movement provides a lively contrast, with its playful rhythms and intricate textures evoking a sense of lightheartedness. Its trio section, with its lyrical simplicity, offers a brief respite before the return of the scherzo’s energetic drive. The finale, marked by its sweeping themes and virtuosic demands, brings the Sonata to a triumphant conclusion. Bennett’s use of counterpoint and dramatic contrasts in this movement reveals his mastery of large-scale structure and emotional storytelling. Takenouchi’s deep engagement with the structure and emotional arc of this work will be vital in delivering a performance that captures its grandeur and intimacy. His nuanced approach to its shifting moods promises to bring this cornerstone of Sterndale Bennett’s output vividly to life.

The second half of the programme opens with Schumann’s Études symphoniques, Op.13, one of the pinnacles of the Romantic piano repertoire. This work, a set of theme-and-variations, is both a technical tour de force and a deeply personal statement. Schumann combines dazzling virtuosity with profound expressiveness, transforming the theme into a series of characterful variations that range from tender lyricism to stormy intensity. The genesis of the piece is intertwined with Schumann’s complex emotional life, particularly his struggles with unrequited love and his burgeoning relationship with Clara Wieck. The theme itself, simple yet noble, becomes a canvas for Schumann’s vivid imagination. Each variation introduces a new perspective, from the graceful simplicity of the second variation to the fiery virtuosity of the third. Schumann’s lifelong preoccupation with duality is vividly portrayed, as the contrasting personas of Eusebius (the introspective dreamer) and Florestan (the passionate extrovert) come to life within the variations. The “Posthumous Variations,” added later by Brahms, offer a more introspective counterbalance to the original set, enhancing the work’s emotional depth. The final variation, often referred to as the “Finale,” introduces a radiant theme borrowed from Heinrich Marschner, bringing the work to an exuberant close. Takenouchi’s ability to navigate the work’s technical demands while capturing its poetic essence will be key to delivering a performance that resonates with emotional depth and dramatic impact. His command of Schumann’s intricate textures and dynamic contrasts will ensure each variation emerges with clarity and character.

The programme concludes with selections from Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words, a series of lyrical piano pieces that exemplify the composer’s melodic gift and poetic sensibility. These works, written over several decades, distil the essence of Romantic song into purely instrumental form, each piece evoking a distinct mood or narrative. Mendelssohn intended these pieces to speak directly to the listener’s heart, transcending the need for words. From the tender simplicity of Venetian Boat Song to the exuberant energy of Spring Song, Mendelssohn’s mastery of melody and texture shines through. The fluid arpeggios and delicate phrasing of these works create an intimacy that invites personal reflection. Takenouchi’s interpretation will bring out the singing quality of the piano, capturing the vocal-like phrasing and emotional immediacy that define these pieces. His attention to detail and expressive nuance will ensure that each Song without Words speaks directly to the heart, offering a fitting conclusion to an evening of Romantic brilliance.

Through this programme, Hiroaki Takenouchi invites us to journey through the landscapes of Romantic piano music, from the evocative imagery of Sterndale Bennett to the emotional intensity of Schumann and the lyrical beauty of Mendelssohn. His artistry and insight promise to illuminate the depth and diversity of this repertoire, leaving the audience with an enduring appreciation for the piano’s boundless expressive possibilities.