Brahms/Handel Variations and Fugue - Favorite Recording? (Read 7800 times)

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.

steinwaymodeld · «Reply #1 on: August 21, 2007, 10:46:29 AM »

Katchen was solid

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

pianistimo · «Reply #2 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.

http://www.rhino.com/store/digital/detail.lasso?upc=809274998668

fnork · «Reply #3 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:
http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=5921

burstroman · «Reply #4 on: August 22, 2007, 02:09:13 AM »

I've always liked the recording by Arrau.

mikey6 · «Reply #5 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!

fnork · «Reply #6 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?

imbetter · «Reply #7 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?

mephisto · «Reply #8 on: August 22, 2007, 03:07:48 PM »

Quote from: 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?

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.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/654b17

imbetter · «Reply #9 on: August 22, 2007, 03:10:40 PM »

thank you very much mephisto

thalberg · «Reply #10 on: August 22, 2007, 04:28:59 PM »

I have Emmanuel Ax's recording. It's not bad.

jinfiesto · «Reply #11 on: August 22, 2007, 10:32:39 PM »

Stephen kovacevich has a recording... And I thought it was pretty good.

nodoubt328 · «Reply #12 on: May 22, 2009, 05:52:23 AM »

Just heard Katchen's recording which also made me fall in love with the piece. Splendid.

retrouvailles · «Reply #13 on: May 22, 2009, 06:00:10 AM »

Quote from: 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.

Did you have to revive a nearly 2 year old thread to say that?

communist · «Reply #14 on: May 22, 2009, 10:55:42 AM »

Pletnev's is very good and tds's is very good.

edwardweiss · «Reply #15 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'!

ramseytheii · «Reply #16 on: May 25, 2009, 12:08:40 AM »

Quote from: 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'!

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

ramseytheii · «Reply #17 on: May 25, 2009, 12:09:12 AM »

Quote from: steinwaymodeld on August 21, 2007, 10:46:29 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

edwardweiss · «Reply #18 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.

communist · «Reply #19 on: May 25, 2009, 06:40:51 PM »

Quote from: ramseytheii on May 25, 2009, 12:09:12 AM

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