Piotr Anderszewski - Beethoven: Diabelli Variations

Editorial Reviews
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Now in his thirties, Anderszewski is at the dangerous stage where he could easily become a cult figure. To have reached that point, of course, says much for the quality of his pianism, which is indeed remarkable and which opens up the full range of interpretative possibilities. He never plays flashily for the sake of it – if anything the presto variations are understated, even to the detriment of the larger design – and like Brendel and Kovacevich, and often just as convincingly, he delights in Beethoven's fantasy and musical quirks. But there are worrying features too. It will be fascinating to see whether Bruno Monsaingeon's forthcoming documentary film of the interpretation will throw light on them.The overall impression is of a great pianist in the making. The theme and first variation are strong-willed and sharply profiled, nicely setting off the subtly voiced second variation (held within an ideal neutral poco allegro tempo and subdued dynamic) and the third, with its beautifully flexible response to the harmony. In Var. 6 Anderszewski finds an appropriately dogged serioso character, with the help of some excellent schoolmasterly trills, and he lends a lovely exploratory feel to the teneramente of Var. 8. After this he takes a significant pause before launching into the pesante e risoluto of Var. 9 at an unusually steady pace; and the presto of Var. 10 is also less hectic than often heard, allowing for a nicely burbling texture. At the other end of the work he rightly sees the three minor-mode Vars. 29-31 as gateways to another world, very nearly sentimentalizing Var. 30 by the sheer breadth of his andante and the freedom of his rubato.Which brings me to the point of debate. Anderszewski seems determined to monumentalize the structure by exceptionally broad tempos for the double-dotted Var. 14 (6'20" to Kovacevich's 5'17") and the Largo, molto espressivo Var. 31 (6'33" to Kovacevich's 5'06"). He may have the ability to sustain them but not, in my book, to make them convincing. At these points, and one or two elsewhere, boldness tips over into mannerism and the interpretation falls apart at the seams. Like Schnabel, therefore, though for different reasons, this cannot be a top recommendation. Yet it should still count as a version from which anyone who wishes to engage seriously with the music would derive great stimulation. Brendel and Kovacevich remain the benchmark interpreters of the Diabellis, the latter getting even further by instinct than his rivals do by calculation. Recording quality is superb, but the booklet essay is poor – unless, that is, you actually prefer whimsical fantasy to basic information.David Fanning

Piotr Anderszewski - Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Music, Ludwig van Beethoven, Piotr Anderszewski, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Classical Period Variations for Keyboard, Keyboard

Average customer rating:

Great playing but not great Beethoven

How does he do it!?!

Clearly a major pianist, but a little beneath the best

Wish there could be a 4 1/2-star rating

Something special

Piotr Anderszewski - Beethoven: Diabelli Variations
Ludwig van Beethoven , and Piotr Anderszewski
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Variations | Variations | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005A9NI
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Tracks:

33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Tema
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 1: Alla Marcia Maestosa
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 2: Poco Allegro
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 3: L'istesso Tempo
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 4: Un Poco Piu Vivace
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 5: Allegro Vivace
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 6: Allegro Ma Non Troppo E Serioso
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 7: Un Poco Piu Allegro
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 8: Poco Vivace
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 9: Allegro Pesante E Risoluto
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 10: Presto
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 11: Allegretto
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 12: Un Poco Piu Mosso
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 13: Vivace
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 14: Grave E Maestoso
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 15: Presto Scherzando
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 16: Allegro
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 17: (Allegro)
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 18: Poco Moderato
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 19: Presto
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 20: Andante
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 21: Allegro Con Brio
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 22: Molto Allegro (Alla Notte E Giorno Faticar Di....
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 23: Allegro Assai
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 24: Fughetta: Andante
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 25: Allegro
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 26: (Allegro)
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 27: Vivace
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 28: Allegro
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 29: Adagio Ma Non Troppo
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 30: Andante Sempre Cantabile
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 31: Largo Molto Espressivo
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 32: Fuga: Allegro
33 Vars On A Waltz By Diabelli, Op.120: Var 33: Tempo Di Menuetto, Moderato

Customer Reviews:

Great playing but not great Beethoven.......2007-05-02

Piotr Anderszewski is clearly one of the great piano virtuosos before the public today. His awards and recordings attest to a titanic technique that seems to improve with age. He recently earned raves from critics on both sides of the Atlantic for his recording of Mozart piano concertos. His playing in this recording is magnificent, even perfect. And that's the problem -- it's too perfect, like those machine paintings they try to sell you at starving artists sales that have a painter's name on them but you know it was signed by a robot generated from a computer program to put out 10,000 of the things, every one just like the one before it.

It's a bit difficult for me to grade a recording of Beethoven's "Diabelli" variations, not because it's not great music but because it is not a favorite of mine. Give me his "15 Variations on a Theme in C minor", "Eroica" variations, or his variations on Handel's "Hail the conquering hero" theme for cello and piano and I'm in heaven. But, while I don't contest the Diabelli's are on a par with Bach's Goldberg variations, they simply don't do it for me emotionally. And in a reading like this one, where a fabulous technician essentially misses half of what the composer is trying to say in the score, it is that much more difficult to appreciate.

What Anderszewski misses is stated in just a few sentences of Marcel Marnat's notes: "In this work Beethoven sums up all his various styles, ranging from 18th century smiles to Romantic prophecy. In the old-fashioned waltz that so charmed his contemporaries, he found an extraordinary opportunity to be constantly prophetic and mighty." Please note the phrase, "...Beethoven sums up..."

Where Anderszewski often errs, in my opinion, is in his failure to either understand, project or adapt to Beethoven's styles. Examples of these misses are all over the place. In Variation 14 he uses far too much pedal and comes off sounding more like Liszt than Beethoven. The Variation 20 presto, instead of exuding Beethoven's humor, exhibits techinique to burn but only a superficial understanding of the musical values the composer is reflecting, as if this is a practice example and not a great work of art. And while Anderszewski revels in the 32nd notes of Variation 23's allegro assai, another place where the composer is having some fun, Anderszewski interprets it to say little more than, "Look at how fast I can play this music!"

Like his recording of Bach's Partitas 1, 3 and 6, Anderszewski employs a near total lack of rubato, diminuendo, accelerando, tenuto and other devices that bring passion, individiuality and characterization to the music, instead relying solely on his fabulous prestidigitation for affect. Only in Variation 30's andante does he break this pattern and allow the music to breathe. Unfortunately, he continues his metrical approach in Variation 32 largo where he intermingles facile, limpid playing with a metronomic approach. Like with his Bach, it confuses me how this player can be so outstanding at the keyboard and come nearly to the heart of the message at times, while virtually missing everything the composer is saying the rest of the time.

Even though it's not one of my favorite pieces I have nonetheless heard enough versions of the music to know a great one when I hear it. To gain a more complete understanding of Beethoven's purpose in writing this near the end of his life go to Richter's wonderful recordings or give Brendel a whirl. My personal favorite is the one Rudolf Serkin recorded at Vermont's Marlboro festival for CBS (later Columbia, now Sony). While Serkin's playing is authoritative and reflects a lifetime of commitment to the core German piano repertoire, the stamp of authenticity is an unexpected obligato in a passage near the end from some crickets stationed within earshot of microphones that night, making this one of the most unique concert recordings of Beethoven or any other composer.

How does he do it!?!.......2005-03-23

Like many of his other recordings and performances, he seems to display an ability to get into my heart. His sensitivity and emotion is very good and every time I listen to him my heart aches. This recording of the Diabelli Variations does the same as everything else. Anderszewski is an imerging pianist and judging by what I have heard of him so far, I can't think of one reason why he wouldn not go far in his career. I definately reccomend this disc to anybody who loves beautiful music because this recording will NOT dissapoint!

Clearly a major pianist, but a little beneath the best.......2004-01-16

I simply want to add my qualified recommendation for this disc. It is the fist CD of Mr Anderszewski's playing I've heard, so I can't compare it with other recordings of his, Beethoven or otherwise. He strikes me as a massively technically talented player who also has brains and guts to go his own way with one of the cornerstones of classical piano writing. One of the first things one notices is the extremely wide dynamic range. The first variation is pretty stolidly forthright and uninflected, as it should be, and then the second variation is extremely soft initially. The first time I heard this I thought there must be some drop-out in the recording, but no, it's what he wants. And on further listening (and consultation with the score) I see that this is an entirely valid, if extreme, decision on his part. Variation 3 then is slightly louder, again according to the score.

I won't bore you with a variation by variation account of this traversal but will say that I was particularly impressed with a number of the individual variations: Nos. 11 (quicksilver), 13 (portentous, severe, but occasionally quirkily humorous dynamics), 14 (serene, leisurely), 21 (catches Beethoven's bumptiousness which pauses from time to time to catch its breath), 23 (same thing but in reverse order - calm, then bumptious, with real contrast), 24 (the fughetta, managed with utter simplicity and control), 31 (the longest of the variations, which can tend to lose its focus, doesn't here), a wonderful Var. 32 (the fugue) which very nearly caps the whole thing off before the (unless you know the piece) surprisingly genial withdrawal of Var. 33.

All in all I'm glad I have this account, but I won't want to give up Serkin or Brendel, or for that matter, Schnabel or the all-but-forgotten recording of Maria Yudina. Others have mentioned the recording of William Kindermann and I have to admit I've never heard it or of him but I see from an Internet search that he has written a book about the Diabelli Variations. Another scholar/pianist in the style of Charles Rosen? Gonna have to check that out!

I agree with a previous reviewer who indicates that the enclosed booklet's notes are not very helpful and more than a little fanciful.

Scott Morrison

Wish there could be a 4 1/2-star rating.......2003-06-27

First, to answer the query from "A music fan from somewhere" (see June 8, 2003 below)--yes, Variation 22 is "stolen" from Leporello's Notte e giorno faticar.

As for Anderszewski's performance of this endlessly fascinating work, to my ears it doesn't always measure up to the three most-often cited above and below (by Brendel, Kinderman, Kovacevich), nor to my other favorite, Pollini's; yet it's often illuminating and very often quite beautiful. If I could single out the one element that is too often lacking here it would be the humor that Beethoven brought to the work. But as for how Anderszewski tends to miss the humor and Brendel tends to capture it (Brendel even writes about the comic aspects of the Variations in an essay included in "Music Sounded Out"): to put that into words would be to bridge the gap between words and notes that makes it so hard for a listener to write anything worthwhile about music.

I also agree with David Fanning (above) that the booklet is not very useful. It might be fun to speculate as to how "towering a rage" Beethoven was in and whom he was enraged at when he was composing this music, but to me these speculations don't enhance our connection with the music. Better to have written about the years of work Anderszewski has put into playing this work, as partly reflected in the documentary directed by Bruno Monsaingeon, or to have let Anderszewski himself share his thoughts.

Something special.......2003-01-26

May be I`m biased, because I first saw the film by Moinsaingeon and got astonished, enchanted by Anderszevski`s passion for that particular piece and for Beethoven`s music in general. It`s not only the understanding but also the great love for that music that makes PA`s interpretation so unique. He manages to convey all the moods so well: he`s moody, ardent, ironic, furious, funny,brooding, angry...You wish there were at least some 20 more variations

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