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I just came across a complete rendition of this most favorite work of mine by Grigory Sokolov. Inlcudes the score. Just marvelous and masterful. I still prefer Richter's but I have been listening to him for many more years.
For some reason i've never paid much attention to the Diabelli variations - i always feel like i'm missing out on something wonderful but i just don't seem to get round to discovering it.
All theory, dear friend, is grey, but the golden tree of life springs ever green.
Wow. I might start drooling in anticipation.....thank you for posting this, Andromaque. I'm not going to click on it until I have the opportunity to give it my undivided attention. If I put this on in the background, I won't get anything done!
I wasn't aware that he'd recorded the Diabellis, actually. I will certainly give this a listen later as Sokolov is simply one of THE greatest I've ever heard and I always look forward to his playing.
"And if we look at the works of J.S. Bach — a benevolent god to which all musicians should offer a prayer to defend themselves against mediocrity... -Debussy
"It's ok if you disagree with me. I can't force you to be right."
Rumors from Paris have it that he has been playing a la Richter: spot light at the piano and dark hall. I have no idea why he doesn't play here!
That I've not heard, but he has long played with very few stage lights preferring to slip into the darkness once he's finished. I would absolutely love to hear him live and have the chance to meet him.
"And if we look at the works of J.S. Bach — a benevolent god to which all musicians should offer a prayer to defend themselves against mediocrity... -Debussy
"It's ok if you disagree with me. I can't force you to be right."
Rumors from Paris have it that he has been playing a la Richter: spot light at the piano and dark hall. I have no idea why he doesn't play here!
Well, he cancelled a concert in the UK because their visa requirements were offensive to him and I don't think he has played there since, so maybe that can be extrapolated into an idea of why he doesn't play the US. But it's just an idea...I don't really know.
Rumors from Paris have it that he has been playing a la Richter: spot light at the piano and dark hall. I have no idea why he doesn't play here!
Well, he cancelled a concert in the UK because their visa requirements were offensive to him and I don't think he has played there since, so maybe that can be extrapolated into an idea of why he doesn't play the US. But it's just an idea...I don't really know.
He didn't just cancel A concert...back when the UK began enforcing much tighter visa requirements ('09 I believe?) he said he wouldn't perform in the UK again until things loosened up a bit.
"And if we look at the works of J.S. Bach — a benevolent god to which all musicians should offer a prayer to defend themselves against mediocrity... -Debussy
"It's ok if you disagree with me. I can't force you to be right."
Wonderful. Thank you. Several years ago I had occasion to collect at least a dozen versions of the Diabelli Variations, and I listened to them repeatedly for many, many months. Sokolov stood out as having the most individual and most interesting interpretations, and he soon became one of my favourite pianists in general.
I don't care so much for the Sokolov performance. Of course, there are many precious moments, such as the accompaniment 16ths in the 6th Variation that he takes staccato, and so many expressive cadences and drawn out passages. But after awhile, I get the impression I am hearing a performance of Chopin, not Beethoven. Legitimately, Sokolov can use all this expressiveness, poetry, delicate shading, and other aspects of his virtuosic touch and produce an interesting performance of the Diabelli Variations, but I am always wondering, "What curious thing will he be doing in the next variation?" I'm distracted from noticing Beethoven (maybe I would if Sokolov emphasized the weird modulations Beethoven uses, but he doesn't).
I'd rather listen to the Maria Yudina performances on YouTube. She is much faster than Sokolov, more "masculine" - direct, unfussy, and controlled, and she is far more interested in the musical line, not the details. This to me is more convincing because she slips into the background and leaves Beethoven out in the forefront.
