Dmitry Ablogin - Beethoven - Diabelli Variations (2022) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

Published almost two centuries ago in 1823, the Diabelli Variations are more than just a major work in Ludwig van Beethoven’s oeuvre and in the history of piano music. Rather, they are among those exceptional works of music history that simply cannot be classified and – as Igor Strawinsky wrote in amazement about the Grand Fuge for string quartet composed three years later – could well have been created on a satellite in outer space. Despite only daring to première the Diabelli Variations in Berlin in 1856 and focussing on them throughout his life as an artist and publisher, Hans von Bülow was correct in his prediction that this work would provide “musical brain food for generations” – and not just for pianists and their audiences, but for music historians and theorists too. As such, countless works have been dedicated to the origins, intention, structure and (biographical) symbolism of the work – not least, in the tradition of von Bülow, by the pianists themselves, as demonstrated by the editions and statements of greats such as Artur Schnabel, Alfred Brendel and Rudolf Buchbinder.

In a ground-breaking study, the American musicologist and pianist William Kinderman was able to show, by examining the sketches, how convoluted the development work was until Beethoven ultimately arrived at the finished piece. This also reflects the fact that the original reason for its creation can be traced back to a request made by the Viennese composer and publisher Anton Diabelli, who asked prominent composers and pianists of the time to each write a variation on a theme stipulated by him for inclusion in an anthology: a simple, yet catchy waltz for piano and two hands. Beethoven, however, composed 33 variations, and it took him four years to complete as a result of various interruptions since he was also working on his final three piano sonatas opp. 109–111 and the Missa Solemnis – due to their size, these works were then initially published as a separate volume. This creative transformation and, in part, lustful-parodic “destruction” of the theme resulted in a kaleidoscope of variations, ranging from étude to fugue, from masked chorale to melancholy Adagio, thereby shattering all previous standards associated with the piano variation genre, which Beethoven himself had already significantly expanded, yet not transcended, with the three variation cycles op. 34, op. 35 (Eroica Variations) and WoO 80.

As a true point of comparison, another exceptional work must also be considered, namely Bach’s Goldberg Variations, whose original title “Aria with different variations” is also referenced in Beethoven’s official title: “33 Veränderungen über einen Walzer für das Piano-Forte” (33 Variations on a Waltz for the Pianoforte). The key to our enduring fascination with this work lies in the incessant broadening of horizons with which Beethoven not only refers in the Diabelli Variations to both historical and personal development, but also almost experimentally tries out new possibilities of composing for and interacting with the piano. Another aspect can be heard in this double recording by Dmitry Ablogin, played on both a historical and a modern grand piano: the Diabelli Variations can be played as timeless music on either instrument. This is also because Beethoven himself continuously adapted the technical and tonal requirements of his piano movement to match accomplishments in piano construction. Therefore, the rendition played on the 1825 top-keyed grand piano constructed by Nanette Streicher, who may even have presented the instrument to her friend Beethoven, demonstrates not so much the limitations of this wonderful instrument but rather showcases its striking range of expression. On a Fazioli – as the pinnacle of today’s grand piano design, conceived for entirely different works, spaces and publics – perhaps the pianist’s most refined task is not to be seduced by the possibilities of virtuoso and dynamic development, thereby neglecting the unique diversity of this subtle musical and tonal microcosm. (Wolfgang Rathert)

TRACKLIST

01. Dmitry Ablogin - Walzer · Waltz. Vivace
02. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 1. Alla marcia maestoso
03. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 2. Poco allegro
04. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 3. L’istesso tempo
05. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 4. Un poco più vivace
06. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 5. Allegro vivace
07. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 6. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
08. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 7. Un poco più allegro
09. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 8. Poco vivace
10. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 9. Allegro pesante e risoluto
11. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 10. Presto
12. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 11. Allegretto
13. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 12. Un poco più moto
14. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 13. Vivace
15. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 14. Grave e maestoso
16. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 15. Presto. Scherzando
17. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 16. Allegro
18. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 17. Allegro
19. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 18. Poco moderato
20. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 19. Presto
21. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 20. Andante
22. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 21. Allegro con brio - Meno allegro - Tempo primo - Meno allegro
23. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 22. alla „Notte e giorno faticar“ da Mozart. Allegro molto
24. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 23. Allegro assai
25. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 24. Fughetta. Andante
26. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 25. Allegro
27. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 26. ohne Bezeichnung · without indication
28. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 27. Vivace
29. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 28. Allegro
30. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 29. Adagio ma non troppo
31. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 30. Andante, sempre cantabile
32. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 31. Largo molto, espressivo
33. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 32. Fuga. Allegro - Poco adagio
34. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 33. Tempo di minuetto moderato (ma non tirarsi dietro)
35. Dmitry Ablogin - Walzer · Waltz. Vivace
36. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 1. Alla marcia maestoso
37. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 2. Poco allegro
38. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 3. L’istesso tempo
39. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 4. Un poco più vivace
40. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 5. Allegro vivace
41. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 6. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
42. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 7. Un poco più allegro
43. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 8. Poco vivace
44. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 9. Allegro pesante e risoluto
45. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 10. Presto
46. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 11. Allegretto
47. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 12. Un poco più moto
48. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 13. Vivace
49. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 14. Grave e maestoso
50. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 15. Presto. Scherzando
51. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 16. Allegro
52. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 17. Allegro
53. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 18. Poco moderato
54. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 19. Presto
55. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 20. Andante
56. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 21. Allegro con brio - Meno allegro - Tempo primo - Meno allegro
57. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 22. alla „Notte e giorno faticar“ da Mozart. Allegro molto
58. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 23. Allegro assai
59. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 24. Fughetta. Andante
60. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 25. Allegro
61. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 26. ohne Bezeichnung · without indication
62. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 27. Vivace
63. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 28. Allegro
64. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 29. Adagio ma non troppo
65. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 30. Andante, sempre cantabile
66. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 31. Largo molto, espressivo
67. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 32. Fuga. Allegro - Poco adagio
68. Dmitry Ablogin - Variation 33. Tempo di minuetto moderato (ma non tirarsi dietro)



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