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Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: bjm412 on August 21, 2007, 09:00:56 AM

Title: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: bjm412 on August 21, 2007, 09:00:56 AM
What is the best/your favorite recording of Brahms' Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel (op.24)?

I have Katchen's rendition, which is absolutely amazing. This made me fall in love with the piece. Sublime performance.
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: steinwaymodeld on August 21, 2007, 10:46:29 AM
Katchen was solid

but i prefer Richter's live one, Ernst Levy and Egon Petri
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: pianistimo on August 21, 2007, 01:10:45 PM
alexei lubimov isn't bad.  kinda sparkly playing.  not as 'choralish' as light.  you'll never find as clear of playing, though.  it's one of a kind.

https://www.rhino.com/store/digital/detail.lasso?upc=809274998668
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: fnork on August 21, 2007, 03:12:16 PM
I have a great Brahms CD with Francisca Skoogh, she includes the Handel suite on which Brahms made the variations, too:
https://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=5921
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: burstroman on August 22, 2007, 02:09:13 AM
I've always liked the recording by Arrau.
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: mikey6 on August 22, 2007, 04:21:07 AM
Solomon was good, and Katchen.

Just to add, since this piece is in my repertoire atm, that fugue is the most horribly un-pianistic, uncomfortable piece i've ever played!
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: fnork on August 22, 2007, 10:14:50 AM
really? I read it through once (slowly) and the fugue seemed okay but I might be wrong after just a readthrough of course... what are the difficulties in it?
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: imbetter on August 22, 2007, 02:06:16 PM
ive never listened to this piece and theres no youtube video. were can i listen to it for free?
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: mephisto on August 22, 2007, 03:07:48 PM
ive never listened to this piece and theres no youtube video. were can i listen to it for free?

Here is the only non-commercial recording I can share with you. As I belive it's against the rules of this forum to post commerical recordings. It's a Pletnev recordings from the Wigmore Hall 27.10.1995.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/654b17
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: imbetter on August 22, 2007, 03:10:40 PM
thank you very much mephisto
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: thalberg on August 22, 2007, 04:28:59 PM
I have Emmanuel Ax's recording.  It's not bad.
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: jinfiesto on August 22, 2007, 10:32:39 PM
Stephen kovacevich has a recording... And I thought it was pretty good.
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: nodoubt328 on May 22, 2009, 05:52:23 AM
Just heard Katchen's recording which also made me fall in love with the piece. Splendid.
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: retrouvailles on May 22, 2009, 06:00:10 AM
Just heard Katchen's recording which also made me fall in love with the piece. Splendid.

Did you have to revive a nearly 2 year old thread to say that?
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: communist on May 22, 2009, 10:55:42 AM
Pletnev's is very good and tds's is very good.
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: edwardweiss on May 23, 2009, 07:07:49 PM
 As one might expect from me, three 'outsiders'. Number one-the very great Egon Petri, recorded 1938. Number two- Jorge Bolet, recorded `1980. And last of all-Sergio Fiorentino, recorded 1965. BTW-the fugue is not too unpianistic if you have worked your way through most of Brahms'  '51 Exercises'!
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: ramseytheii on May 25, 2009, 12:08:40 AM
As one might expect from me, three 'outsiders'. Number one-the very great Egon Petri, recorded 1938. Number two- Jorge Bolet, recorded `1980. And last of all-Sergio Fiorentino, recorded 1965. BTW-the fugue is not too unpianistic if you have worked your way through most of Brahms'  '51 Exercises'!

Unpianistic is unpianistic, no matter how many exercises you do. :)

In any case, Brahms wrote piano music deliberately to be unpianistic, according to Charles Rosen.  He was the sort of Anti-Liszt of the piano; his exercises are also very uncomfortable.

The fugue is not pianistic, but it is not the most awkward thing Brahms wrote.

Walter Ramsey


Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: ramseytheii on May 25, 2009, 12:09:12 AM
Katchen was solid

but i prefer Richter's live one, Ernst Levy and Egon Petri

I love Ernst Levy, I didn't know he recorded this.. how can I hear it?  Is it published?

Also, is the Petri published?

Walter Ramsey


Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: edwardweiss on May 25, 2009, 06:01:44 PM
 Petri's performance is on 'Egon Petri Volume 3' which was on Pearl-Pavilion label. I do not know whether it is still available. Number is GEMM CDS 9078.
Title: Re: Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording?
Post by: communist on May 25, 2009, 06:40:51 PM
I love Ernst Levy, I didn't know he recorded this.. how can I hear it?  Is it published?

Also, is the Petri published?

Walter Ramsey





His performance is on YouTube