Mitsuko Uchida - Beethoven - Diabelli Variations (2022) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

A disciple of Wilhelm Kempff and Stefan Askenase, pianist Mitsuko Uchida waited until she was a respectable age to record Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, a legendary work by pianists on a par with J. S. Bach's Goldberg Variations for harpsichordists. But pianists are luckier than the latter since they appropriate any music written for keyboards.

Mitsuko Uchida has been walking the Diabelli in concert for years, garnering the most rave reviews everywhere. After six years of discographic silence, suffice to say that his new studio recording was highly anticipated. Made at Snape Maltings, in the enchanting setting of Suffolk, in the heart of an old malt house that Benjamin Britten had the idea of transforming into a cultural center, this new version challenges us from the first variations by its vigor and by its rigorous construction.

Mitsuko Uchida tames without fail this monumental work that has enough to bewilder the most reckless pianists. His long practice of Beethoven's works allows him to be in total intimacy with this long score that can seem boring under less agile fingers and thinking. Uchida manages to capture the essence of each variation without ever losing sight of the overall structure of a work that represents a world of its own. Beethoven seems to have gathered all his knowledge, but also all his fears and hopes. Mitsuko Uchida, here, captures the multiple aspects of this fascinating and terribly intimidating work.

TRACKLIST

1. Mitsuko Uchida - Tema. Vivace
2. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 1. Alla marcia maestoso
3. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 2. Poco allegro
4. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 3. L'istesso tempo
5. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 4. Un poco più vivace
6. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 5. Allegro vivace
7. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 6. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
8. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 7. Un poco più allegro
9. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 8. Poco vivace
10. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 9. Allegro pesante e risoluto
11. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 10. Presto
12. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 11. Allegretto
13. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 12. Un poco più moto
14. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 13. Vivace
15. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 14. Grave e maestoso
16. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 15. Presto scherzando
17. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 16. Allegro
18. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 17. Allegro
19. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 18. Poco moderato
20. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 19. Presto
21. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 20. Andante
22. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 21. Allegro con brio - Meno allegro
23. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 22. Allegro molto, alla "Notte e giorno faticar" di Mozart
24. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 23. Allegro assai
25. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 24. Fughetta. Andante
26. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 25. Allegro
27. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 26. Piacevole
28. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 27. Vivace
29. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 28. Allegro
30. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 29. Adagio ma non troppo
31. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 30. Andante, sempre cantabile
32. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 31. Largo, molto espressivo
33. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 32. Fugue. Allegro
34. Mitsuko Uchida - Var. 33. Tempo di Minuetto moderato



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