Welcome to the website of international concert pianist,
Sarah Beth Briggs. Please enjoy browsing, listening to Sarah’s playing and reading about her solo recital, concerto and chamber music work.
an artist of extraordinary magnetism
Daily Telegraph
Beautiful and deeply romantic performances by a pianist who cares above all for the musical substance and the emotional power of the compositions.
Pizzicato, Luxembourg
a memorably nimble and detailed performance – good enough to rank alongside those of Uchida and Perahia.
Music Web International
Extract from Hans Gál Prelude, op 65 no 3
The final Presto, passionate and elusive, gives another opportunity to become all ears for this very Austrian musical journey, to marvel at the stylistic range of the programme offered, and to also say thank you for this beautiful and important musical declaration of love to Hans Gál by the outstanding pianist Sarah Beth Briggs.
Online Merker – The Austrian Connection
FEATURED VIDEO…
Paul Martinez-Frias 1929 – 2024
Sarah collaborated on numerous projects over the years with the Welsh based artist Paul Martinez-Frias. This video combines nine of his paintings with excerpts of music from her discography and is posted here to celebrate a great artistic friendship.
For more videos please click here
TEACHING…
Sarah is also a committed and highly skilled educator, working with young professionals and talented advanced adult amateurs. She also gives regular workshops. The next workshop will be on Sunday 8th December, 2024 – ‘Brahms Plus’. For details of future Zoom workshops, please check back or ask to be added to the online workshop mailing list. (This page is regularly updated with dates once confirmed.) please click here.
T
Not only is Sarah an awe-inspiring pianist, she is also a superb teacher – two things that don’t necessarily go together! Her meticulous preparation, her astonishing ear for detail and her profound understanding of, and respect for, the intent of the composer are the things that make her workshops and lessons so special.
2024
Sarah’s commitment to Hans Gál continues following a highly successful German concerto debut with the Hofer Symphoniker and Enrico Delamboye.
The ‘splendid’ Gál Concerto (Hochfranken Feuilleton) won great acclaim in live performance following multiple international plaudits – including a Gramophone Critic’s Choice – for Sarah’s AVIE recording.
The live encounter with Gál in Hof – and thus the playing of the 51-year-old Briton who also recorded his Opus 57 brilliantly on CD – proves (Gál) to be a master of melody as well as a courageous advocate of virtuosity that does not serve the performer as a means of self-expression, but is entirely rooted in the artistic substance of the music.
The pianist, conductor and orchestra unite to achieve filigree delicacy….refinement and sophistication…an effervescently unleashed intermediate episode….she concludes the marvellous work in a completely musical manner with the verve of a Polka.
Hochfranken Feuilleton
In Hans Gàl’s Piano Concerto Opus 57, guest star Sarah Beth Briggs demonstrated all her virtuoso skills. A perfect interplay between piano and orchestra led the audience through lyrical passages in the second movement with delicate, marvellous solo interludes from the orchestra to a fast-paced third movement.
Frankenpost
Sarah’s solo recitals
In addition to a wide variety of other repertoire, Sarah continues to highlight her love of Hans Gál’s music. A themed Variations Plus concert, based partly around her recent Variations release on AVIE Records places Gál’s only Sonata for solo piano (with its haunting variation 3rd mvt) at the heart of it. Also – her Austrian Connection programme traces the links between Gál and his two great antecedents in the Classical era, Haydn and Mozart as well as Schubert at the dawn of Romanticism and adopted son of Vienna – Johannes Brahms.
Read more about her new themed solo recital programmes here:
The press on Sarah’s Variations Plus recording:
…a programme casting a beguiling light on music both familiar and less so…I love it!
International Piano
The press on The Austrian Connection recording:
Lyricism and dance are the watchwords of Briggs’ beautifully prepared performances…a player at the height of her powers
Musical Opinion
Photo: Adrian McClure
Some promoter feedback from 2023/4:
We’ve had nothing but overwhelmingly positive feedback from the audience….a great afternoon
….there was such a clarity in Sarah’s playing…. engaging and informative introductions….delivered with consummate skill.
…a thrilling end to a splendid recital
Photo: Martin Lijinsky
LATEST AVIE RECORDS RELEASE
AVAILABLE NOW via this link
Variations
Mozart
Variations on a Minuet by Duport, K573
Beethoven
7 Variations on God Save The King, WoO78
Beethoven
6 Variations on an Original Theme in F major, op 34
Mendelssohn
Variations Sérieuses, op 54
Brahms
Variations on a theme by Robert Schumann, op 9