Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120 Martin Helmchen

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Diabelli Variations, Op. 120:
• 1 Theme. Vivace 00:49
• 2 Var. 1, Alla marcia, maestoso 01:33
• 3 Var. 2, Poco allegro 00:52
• 4 Var. 3, L'istesso tempo 01:19
• 5 Var. 4, Un poco più vivace 00:57
• 6 Var. 5, Allegro vivace 00:54
• 7 Var. 6, Allegro ma non troppo e serioso 01:42
• 8 Var. 7, Un poco più allegro 01:11
• 9 Var. 8, Poco vivace 01:20
• 10 Var. 9, Allegro pesante e risoluto 01:39
• 11 Var. 10, Presto 00:37
• 12 Var. 11, Allegretto 01:19
• 13 Var. 12, Un poco più mosso 00:54
• 14 Var. 13, Vivace 01:14
• 15 Var. 14, Grave e maestoso 03:55
• 16 Var. 15, Presto scherzando 00:31
• 17 Var. 16, Allegro 01:00
• 18 Var. 17, (Allegro) 01:02
• 19 Var. 18, Poco moderato 01:40
• 20 Var. 19, Presto 00:57
• 21 Var. 20, Andante 02:55
• 22 Var. 21, Allegro con brio 01:14
• 23 Var. 22, Allegro molto 00:55
• 24 Var. 23, Allegro assai 00:56
• 25 Var. 24, Fughetta - Andante 03:00
• 26 Var. 25, Allegro 00:46
• 27 Var. 26, (Piacevole) 01:08
• 28 Var. 27, Vivace 00:57
• 29 Var. 28, Allegro 01:05
• 30 Var. 29, Adagio ma non troppo 01:31
• 31 Var. 30, Andante, sempre cantabile 01:55
• 32 Var. 31, Largo, molto espressivo 05:24
• 33 Var. 32, Fuga - Allegro 03:25
• 34 Var. 33, Tempo di menuetto, moderato 04:15
• Total Runtime 54:51

Info for Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120

The pianist Martin Helmchen has now joined Alpha for several recordings. Acknowledged as one of the leading pianists of his generation, an eminent interpreter of the German repertoire, Helmchen will explore various periods and composers (including Messiaen!), but Beethoven will have a preponderant place in his forthcoming recording projects. Before the complete concertos, planned for 2020, he tackles the Diabelli Variations, ‘a climax in the life of a pianist’. He sees these variations as ‘a voyage to the very heart of the infinity of human feelings and moods, by turns profound, philosophical, satirical’. He regards the cycle as a visionary work that heralds future developments in music, containing the first stirrings of twentieth-century minimalism, atonality and abstraction. This recording is the end result of a long personal association and numerous concerts; a powerful version in which each variation emerges as a masterpiece in its own right.

Martin Helmchen, piano

No biography found.

Booklet for Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120