Brahms - Handel Variations [Roge]Along with Bach's Goldberg Variations, these are my favourite solo piano variations, what seems so superb about Brahms's set, is that each variation flows so naturally into each other, like dominoes that fall, each one assists the next, or like layers of a pyramid, each new layer builds on the former, slowly rising to a great capstone, it's a wonderful journey to the top.
Pascal Roge is now 60, born in France, he mainly seems to concentrate on the French repertoire, he recorded this disc in 1991, the front cover is excellent, a soft focus head and shoulders shot, notice how the top of the head is cut off, concentrating on the face, there's a certain washed out feel about it, like a watercolour, and the lettering is excellent, i especially like the upright / side lettering of the Composer, why don't more people think of this?.
The Handel Variations are an almost endless stream of inspiration, it's hard to know where to begin when speaking about the highlights of this work, i certainly enjoyed Variations 1, 4, 7-8, 10-12, 16, 18-19 & 21-25, that's certainly half of the work, it was Variations 12 & 24-25 that especially hit a chord in my heart, here's a synopsis of each,
Variation 12, a gentle yet fun variation, lovely chimes in the treble, and Roge nicely keeps a superb legato going, you can almost hear the 'ding dong' of the bell repeat and repeat.
Variation 24, this variation grows immediately out of variation 23, which turns it from staccato to legato, with agitated runs all over the keyboard, building up to a momentum, and ready for a great burst of release.
Variation 25, which is where the final variation comes in, however Roge doesn't explode this perfectly, it's a little underwhelming, this should be the final apotheosis, a grand culmination, a coming home of sorts, it's still dazzling, but i've heard better, needs to be hammered out in glory more.
Here's Roman Rabinovich playing the last third of the work on YouTube, Variations 24 and 25 start at [2:37 & 3:14].
Variation 12, a gentle yet fun variation, lovely chimes in the treble, and Roge nicely keeps a superb legato going, you can almost hear the 'ding dong' of the bell repeat and repeat.
Variation 24, this variation grows immediately out of variation 23, which turns it from staccato to legato, with agitated runs all over the keyboard, building up to a momentum, and ready for a great burst of release.
Variation 25, which is where the final variation comes in, however Roge doesn't explode this perfectly, it's a little underwhelming, this should be the final apotheosis, a grand culmination, a coming home of sorts, it's still dazzling, but i've heard better, needs to be hammered out in glory more.
