Guy Berger Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 (edited) A while back we discussed Beethoven's piano sonatas and someone told me to check out the Diabelli Variations. I picked up Brendel's 1976 live performance on Philips... wow. It's similar in some ways to the final sonatas (particularly in the heavy use of counterpoint) but different in others. My favorite variations thus far (besides the final ones) are #4, #8, #14, #16, #17, #19, #24, #26 and #27. And the last few variations... wow. The Chopin-foreshadowing #31, the crazy fugue in #32, and the enigmatic #33. Verdict: :tup Edited November 12, 2004 by Guy Berger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Yup. I currently have six recordings of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted November 13, 2004 Report Share Posted November 13, 2004 Six? That's a start... (No matter how many you have, check out William Kinderman on Hyperion.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted November 13, 2004 Report Share Posted November 13, 2004 Six? That's a start... Sorry I didn't mention those I've dumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted November 13, 2004 Report Share Posted November 13, 2004 Have you ever seen the Marguerite Duras film "Le Camion"? Uses the Diabeli variations for the soundtrack. Can't remember who's version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Yup. I currently have six recordings of it. Which recording(s) would you recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 My all time "champ" is the '30s recording by Schnabel. For a modern stereo version I recommend the Charles Rosen version on IMP (from England). This was available from Cybermusicsurplus for cheap. Maybe elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 AFAIK IMP is defunct - but as I have and love Rosen's Schumann CDs I will go searching for this, thanks for the hint, Chuck! Does anyone know of a recording of this work on a period piano? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michel devos Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Does anyone know of a recording of this work on a period piano? Isn'it ironical that such an insignificant little waltz like Diabelli's has developed into one of the major 'Meisterwerke' for piano of all times...once it got thru Beethoven's hands. There are many modern versions to be recommended, but I still like Claudio Arrau's for its classical formal beauty. For, a recording on a pianoforte, check the discography of Andreas Staier, I think he did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 For, a recording on a pianoforte, check the discography of Andreas Staier, I think he did it. Staier? Not to my knowledge - I think I have all of his recordings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Mike, I urge you to search out the Rosen (vinyl or cd). What Schumann recordings do you have by him. CR's been a favorite for over 3 decades. I think he's "as bright" as a musician dares before becoming a pedantic bore. He lives on the edge. Do you know his writing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Rosen's book "The Classical Style" was translated into German - can't seem to find it right now - did I buy it or not? He did three CDs of Schumann for the Dutch Globe label under the common title "The Revolutionary Masterpieces": Vol. 1: Impromptus on a theme by Clara Wieck op.5 & Davidsbündlertänze op.6 Globe GLO 5001 (1983, CD 1988) Vol. 2: Carnaval op. 9 & Sonata in f sharp minor op. 11 Globe GLO 5009 (dtto.) Vol. 3: Kreisleriana op. 16 & Dichtungen für das Pianoforte (first version of the Fantasy in C op.17) Globe GLO 5012 (1983, CD 1989) This recording is unique as it uses the first editions throughout, which are much more daring than those later published and kept available by his wife. Most performer use the rather censored later editions. They are all OOP, AFAIK. I could send you a copy if you can't find them - they're great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michel devos Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Mike, There is at least an opportunity for you to hear the Diabelli live there.... Ingolstadt 24.11.2005 Solo L.v. Beethoven: Diabelli-Variationen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 (edited) Thanks, Michel - but I rather go see the Doug Hammond Trio at a Wiesbaden club tomorrow night than driving 550 km one year from tomorrow to Ingolstadt to hear Staier ... I wanted to do a search last night but couldn't get on several search engines and German sites. Edited November 23, 2004 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted April 3, 2005 Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 Because of this thread I decided that it was time to buy a cd of the Diaabelli Variations. I could only find one version at my local Borders and that was by somone I'd never heard of named Uri Caine. I probably should have noticed that he was accompanied by the Concerto Koln but I'd forgotten that the variations are a solo piano piece. (If I'd ever known it to begin with.) I finally realised that this was not your standard version when he broke into some barrelhouse piano on variation 16 but I should have noticed as early as variation 2 which sounds awfully modern for Beethoven. So who is Uri Caine? I looked him up on-line and see that he's done several recordings. Any fans out there? I do like his variations on the variations but did get Rudolph Serkin's version too. (It came with the 11 bagatelles and the Fantasy in G Minor all on one cd.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 One of the most discussed crossover artists between classical music and jazz in the last fifteen years ... do a search ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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