November 8, 2017 – Art Blart _ art and cultural memory archive

November 2017

A recording of various pianoforte pieces in the Recital Hall of the Royal College of Music, London on the 15th November 1977. All pieces performed by Marcus Bunyan. I was 19 years old (as in the photographs below). Nobody ever believes me that I was a concert pianist. Well here is the proof!

1/ Haydn – Sonata No. 62 in E flat major I. Allegro
2/ Haydn – Sonata No. 62 in E flat major II. Adagio
3/ Haydn – Sonata No. 62 in E flat major III. Finale: Presto
4/ Beethoven – Sonata Op. 10 No. 3 II. Largo e mesto
5/ Chopin – Etude Op. 25 No. 1 “Aeolian Harp” in A flat major – Allegro sostenuto
6/ Debussy – Pour le Piano I. Prelude
7/ Debussy – Pour le Piano II. Sarabande
8/ Brahms – Rhapsody Op. 79 No. 1 in B minor
9/ Medtner – Marchen Op. 42 No. 2

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
The Only Recording
1977 (2017)
CD cover

The only recording of myself as a concert pianist. Yes, really!

Recorded in the Recital Hall of the Royal College of Music, London on the 15th November 1977 when I was 19 years old, on a reel to reel tape deck. 40 years ago this year.

I heard it recently for the very first time. My friend Daniel Desiere from Dex Audio, Jeff Whitehead and myself were surprised at the sound quality, and it was an emotional experience to listen to me playing all those years ago. It almost seems like another life. Daniel and the team at Dex Audio in Melbourne have done a fabulous job producing a master and they have burnt it to disc in 20 copies.

I attained my degree (A.R.C.M. Associate of the Royal College of Music) as a concert pianist at 20 and did a postgraduate year before giving up the piano after 16 years. I had been a child prodigy since the age of 6 but enough was enough.

Looking back now I wonder how I made such glorious music given the upheaval in my life at the time. I loved the romantics especially Chopin, Debussy, etc…

Love to my early self.

Marcus xxxx