Brahms: Variations on a theme of Paganini, Op.35 Book 1

[lukejones1]

Hello Pianostreet,

I thought I'd share this recent recording made of my performance of Brahms: Variations on a theme of Paganini, Op.35 Book 1 at the Luxembourg Philharmonie. The concert was entitled 'Festreeval' run by the charity Fingertips asbl in collaboration with Rainforest.lu which plants trees in Costa Rica to combat deforestation. I hope you enjoy it!

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Luke Jones

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[thalbergmad]

I have always thought there is a modern tendency to take this too fast, but for me, you tempo is spot on.

The highest compliment I can pay you is that you sound like Gilels, but that is just based on the 1st 5 or so minutes as I have not the time at the moment to listen to the entire performance.

Top marks from me.

[thirtytwo2020]

Well, I didn't really have the time either, but I just couldn't stop listening!

Great performance - I especially admire your sense of rhythm and timing. And some of the more lyrical moments almost had me in tears.

I thought I sensed a tiny bit of tiredness towards the end... but with the years I think your performance of this will be world class.

[mjames]

Almost as good as eating a bacon sandwich. Almost.

[furiouzpianist]

A really excellent performance!

Have you done book 2 as well?

[lukejones1]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments,

@furiouzpianist, yes I have played book 2, I used to play them together for a short while but I found that aesthetically it doesn't really work all that well, especially have such an epic finale in the first book only to begin with the theme in the 2nd book, it can sound quite disjointed. I don't tend to play the 2nd book as much these days since I think it is just generally less effective as a work, however some of my favourite variations are in the 2nd book there are moments of intense and exquisite beauty.

@mjames, can't say I know quite what you're referring to, but I'm partial to a decent bacon sandwich myself.

@thirtytwo2020, I confess that in the Finale especially in the final presto section it can be difficult to adjust the momentum on one hand you don't want to fly off the rails but at the same time it has to have the same dynamic drive of the previous part of the variation. Finding the balance is difficult and no doubt something I'll keep working on throughout my life, god only knows the great Michelangeli himself went through a whole range of interpretations in this work throughout his life especially regarding the Finale of the work.