Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Paul Lewis
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Catalogue: HMC902071
Release: 2011
Size: 436 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Diabelli Variations, Op. 120
01. Thème. Vivace – Var. I. Alla Marcia maestoso
02. Var. II. Poco allegro
03. Var. III. L’istesso tempo
04. Var. IV. Un poco più vivace
05. Var. V. Allegro vivace
06. Var. VI. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
07. Var. VII. Un poco più allegro
08. Var. VIII. Poco vivace
09. Var. IX. Allegro pesante e risoluto
10. Var. X. Presto
11. Var. XI. Allegretto
12. Var. XII. Un poco più moto
13. Var. XIII. Vivace
14. Var. XIV. Grave e maestoso
15. Var. XV. Presto scherzando
16. Var. XVI. Allegro
17. Var. XVII.
18. Var. XVIII. Poco moderato
19. Var. XIX. Presto
20. Var. XX. Andante
21. Var. XXI. Allegro con brio – Meno allegro
22. Var. XXII. Allegro molto
23. Var. XXIII. Allegro assai
24. Var. XXIV – Fughetta. Andante
25. Var. XXV. Allegro
26. Var. XXVI.
27. Var. XXVII. Vivace
28. Var. XXVIII. Allegro
29. Var. XXIX. Adagio ma non troppo
30. Var. XXX. Andante, sempre cantabile
31. Var. XXXI. Largo, molto espressivo
32. Var. XXXII – Fuga. Allegro – Poco adagio
33. Var. XXXIII. Tempo di Menuetto moderato
Published in June 1823 and dedicated to Antonie Brentano, the 33 Variations Op.120 were described by Diabelli himself as “a great and important masterpiece, worthy to be ranked with the imperishable creations of the old Classics [and to occupy] a place beside Sebastian Bach’s famous masterpieces of the same type”. And indeed, Beethoven revolutionised the genre – but, paradoxically, by taking it into the unexpected regions of the bagatelle.
Between 2005 and 2007 Paul Lewis performed all the Beethoven piano sonatas on tour in the USA and Europe, in tandem with his complete recording of the cycle for harmonia mundi. This project earned him two Gramophone Awards in 2008: Recording of the Year and Best Instrumental Recording. In the summer of 2010 he became the first soloist to perform the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos at the BBC Proms in a single season. His studio recordings of the cycle with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Jirí Belohlávek have since been acclaimed by the international press. From Autumn 2008 until the end of last year he immersed himself in performances of the Beethoven Sonatas, Diabellis and Concertos and there are few UK venues he did not appear in.