Brahms - Handel Variations [Katin]I bought this disc to sell, but looking at it, i find it's really quite nice, so i gave it a spin, just to see if i should keep it or not, the Brahms repertoire is excellent on this disc, especially the Handel Variations at the end, and Katin really is a good Pianist too, my luxury is that i really have got a disc collection that is bordering on 'too many discs', so is there room for Katin's Brahms as well?.
Peter Katin is a British Pianist, now 80 years old, he seems to have been stuck on smaller labels, and has never become really well known, he made this recording in 1990.
The Handel Variations along with the Goldberg Variations are my favourite, what makes the Handel Variations so special is how Brahms so carefully strings them all together, each one prepares us for the next one, and each preceding variations build on the next variation, like a strong rope, each strand is relatively weak, but put them all together and they become strong, each one builds you up, so that when the next appears you are so much more in the thrall of the work, the four Variations that were absolutely delightful were, 7, 12, 14 & 22, and i would like to give a brief synopsis below, the YouTube video's are of Roman Rabinovich, the timings are the place in the videos where the individual variations are,
Variation 7 [6:28-7:06], a nice staccato variation that seems to rock back and forth, and i so much enjoy the lovely way in which Variation 8 just so naturally evolves out of it.
Variation 12 [0:54-1:50], so delicate and beautiful, Katin captures a certain innocence with it, i can't help thinking of bells / glockenspiel when hearing the opening right hand treble, a lovely way of presenting the tune.
Variation 14 [3:29-4:09], and here's a variation that sounds like the hand scampers up and down the keyboard, full of vitality and wit, lots of fun, those trills are excellent, another ingenious way of presenting the initial theme.
Variation 22 [1:03-1:58], a nice respite from some of the more robust variations, nice treble chiming, much like Variation 12 in character, towards the end there's some nice extra judicious high treble notes.
Brahms was a master of the variation medium.
Variation 7 [6:28-7:06], a nice staccato variation that seems to rock back and forth, and i so much enjoy the lovely way in which Variation 8 just so naturally evolves out of it.
Variation 12 [0:54-1:50], so delicate and beautiful, Katin captures a certain innocence with it, i can't help thinking of bells / glockenspiel when hearing the opening right hand treble, a lovely way of presenting the tune.
Variation 14 [3:29-4:09], and here's a variation that sounds like the hand scampers up and down the keyboard, full of vitality and wit, lots of fun, those trills are excellent, another ingenious way of presenting the initial theme.
Variation 22 [1:03-1:58], a nice respite from some of the more robust variations, nice treble chiming, much like Variation 12 in character, towards the end there's some nice extra judicious high treble notes.
Brahms was a master of the variation medium.
