Mitsuko Uchida – Beethoven: Diabelli Variations (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Mitsuko Uchida – Beethoven: Diabelli Variations (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 58:51 minutes | 1,83 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Decca Music Group Ltd.

The late Beethoven recordings of pianist Mitsuko Uchida have been career makers, and it is cause for celebration that she has capped them with the 33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, a work that perhaps poses deeper interpretive challenges than any of the late sonatas. The Variations often show a kind of rough humor, and a performer may pick up on that, or the player may deemphasize the humor and seek out the epic qualities of the Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109, and Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111. Uchida does neither. The outlines of her usual style, high-contrast and a bit dry, are apparent, but she does not let them dominate her reading. What Uchida realizes is that the abrupt transition from humor to the deepest existential ruminations is part and parcel of Beethoven’s late style, and she works to hone the particular character of each Beethoven variation. Her left hand, as usual, is strikingly powerful, and this brings out many striking details (consider the stirring variation 16). The trio of slow minor variations toward the end are given great seriousness but are not in the least overwrought; Uchida achieves an elusive Olympian tone through the final variations. There is much more to experience here, for each variation is fully thought out, but suffice it to say that this is one of the great performances of the Diabelli Variations.

Tracklist:

1-1. Mitsuko Uchida – Tema. Vivace (00:53)
1-2. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 1. Alla marcia maestoso (01:58)
1-3. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 2. Poco allegro (01:00)
1-4. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 3. L’istesso tempo (01:26)
1-5. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 4. Un poco più vivace (01:03)
1-6. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 5. Allegro vivace (01:01)
1-7. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 6. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso (01:42)
1-8. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 7. Un poco più allegro (01:20)
1-9. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 8. Poco vivace (01:33)
1-10. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 9. Allegro pesante e risoluto (02:15)
1-11. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 10. Presto (00:44)
1-12. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 11. Allegretto (01:13)
1-13. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 12. Un poco più moto (00:59)
1-14. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 13. Vivace (01:15)
1-15. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 14. Grave e maestoso (03:56)
1-16. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 15. Presto scherzando (00:40)
1-17. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 16. Allegro (01:00)
1-18. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 17. Allegro (01:03)
1-19. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 18. Poco moderato (02:01)
1-20. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 19. Presto (00:55)
1-21. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 20. Andante (02:37)
1-22. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 21. Allegro con brio – Meno allegro (01:20)
1-23. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 22. Allegro molto, alla “Notte e giorno faticar” di Mozart (00:50)
1-24. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 23. Allegro assai (00:59)
1-25. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 24. Fughetta. Andante (03:14)
1-26. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 25. Allegro (00:47)
1-27. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 26. Piacevole (01:20)
1-28. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 27. Vivace (01:01)
1-29. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 28. Allegro (01:02)
1-30. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 29. Adagio ma non troppo (01:26)
1-31. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 30. Andante, sempre cantabile (02:32)
1-32. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 31. Largo, molto espressivo (05:12)
1-33. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 32. Fugue. Allegro (03:18)
1-34. Mitsuko Uchida – Var. 33. Tempo di Minuetto moderato (04:56)

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