Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-27
TURNTABLE TALK
Superb 'DiobeIIi'
Played by Serkin
ny JAMES q. DEANE
star Record Critic

Beethovens Diabelli varia-
tions are not performed very
often. Doubtless this is large
" because not many pianists
are equal to their demands.
Rudolf Serkin Is one OF the
DISTINGUISHED minority. On q
new Columbia disc he turns
in a performance Of this tax
ing music which not only
measures up 10 the highest
expectations but. TO my ears.
goes beyond them.
Beethoven's notes. under
the wrong hands. can sound
bare and academic. Here they
take on remarkable vitality
and remarkable logic. Serkin
unfolds in its full grandeur
a score which contains the
final distillation Of Beetho-
ems keyboard mastery. max
ing the music go far beyond
mere technique. Il Is one OF
the finest records he has
given US. and should do much
TO gain the music wider es-
TEEN.
Another OF Beethoven's sets
Of piano variations. the 80 in
c minor written some II
years earlier. is heard on a
Decca disc. There is a lesser
challenge here. for both the
pianist and the listener. but
the music is far from neg
ligible. Andor Foldes is the
pianist. and he plays ably.
The fine Op. l26 Bagatelles.
the isolated sonata movement
known as "Andante Favori. -
the E-fiat ecossaises and the
well-known "Fuer Elise"
(which should be called "Fuer
ThereSe"o I'LL out the disc.
A collection Of four Bee
thoven sonatas c'Moon-
light" Les Adieux." "A The
reese" and "Appassionata~
played by Robert CaSadeSus
is on q single Columbia LIP.
This is a bargain. ouanti-
tatively; Casadesus' playing
is capable but, TO me. lacks
the personality of Serkin's.
Another disc. from Angel.
offers the last three of the
80 sonataS played by a young
Hungarian. George Solchany.
These mature works have
Jared best at the hands Of
mature artists; Schnabel. for
one.
Clifford Curzon has finally
replaced the London edition
Of the Emperor" concerto
dubbed from 70 rpm. discs
with a change in pitch at
one point. The new version
is thoroughly acceptable.
Emil Gilels has also contrib
uted an Emperor" and q
performance Of the @ major
concerto. on two Angel discs,
demonstrating that Russian
musicians, too. get q thorough
grounding In basic repertoire.
OPERA FOR KEYBOARD
A eommendable bit of en-
terprise L. represented In q
Vox record on which Alfred
Brendel,, Q former pupil Of
Edwin Fischer, dips into
some Of the most fascinating
Of Liszt's keyboard compo-
sitions.
These are the pieces which
List drew from q number OF
operas. free transcriptions
and Celebrations Of such
staples as the Lucia" sextet,
the pilgrims chorus from
"Tannhaeuser" and the love
death music from Tristan"
as well as less familiar fare.
Many Of them, possibly all,
are remarkable virtuoSo doc
uments. 1t is difficult to I'M
derstand why they are so
neglected.
The three items named are
on this disc. Others are the
Miserere scene from "Trova-
tore" a segment Of Berlioz'
"Benvenuto Cellini." and the
"Oberon" overture. The most
spectacular is an elaborate
fantasy from Norma" not a
transcription but a distilla-
ton Of major portions Of the
Bellini score.
Doubtless 1t would have
been a towering experience to
have heard List play one Of
these pieces. Young Brendel
may not match the great
pianist-composer. but he per-
forms with considerable flair.
More OF this repertoire would
be welcome.
+
BACH. EFT AL
The newest Victorian
dowska disc offers Bach's c
minor partita, the c minor
fantasia, the capriccio ION
the departure of his beloved
brother" and the D minor
passacaglia of J. X. r. Fis-
cher, played with the ex-
pectable warmth and hand
Somely recorded. Harpsi-
chord, OF course.
The young Italian pianist
Aldo Ciccolini Is responsible
for an attractive Angel disc
devoted to some OF the out
landishly titled C"Three Next
to-Last Thoughts" Pieces
In the Form Of a Pear" etc.
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