Moiseiwitsch plays Brahms "Handel Variations" (II)

Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel op.24, composed in 1861, is based on Handel's Harpsichord Suite No.1 in B-flat major, HWV 434.

The work was premiered by Clara Schumann in Hamburg, December 7, 1861 with great success and was first published in July 1862.


PART I : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af4AE8KpFWw
- Aria
- Variations I - XII

PART II :
- Variations XIII - XXV

PART III : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCllplhr7sM
- Fugue

~~~

From an interview of Benno Moiseiwitsch (1890 - 1963) :

"Well, I'm afraid the standard of technique has gone up, which is a pity because that is a very great expense for the giants who still loom large (...) It's alarming. I hear sometimes on radio a gramophone record by youngsters with terrific technique, which is wonderful in its way, but what they miss is a different story.

If they're not encouraged too much, they might come to a certain level and then find themselves and then use this technique in good stead. But if they're encouraged, because they say that there's phenomenal technique and so on and they still try and play faster and louder, then it's a lost cause.

(...) I never really tried to get a phenomenal technique, it did not interest me, but Leschetizky opened my eyes. He's supposed to have been the greatest teacher for technique, which is all wrong. With him it was color and he tried to instill musicianship into the artist, into his pupils, but technique, naturally you had to have a certain technique as a means to an end, and that he kept on emphasizing.

Now with all my respect and admiration for Horowitz, I blame him for it. Because since he came, it was something of a hurricane and everybody started to emulate him, but Horowitz is a great artist, a great musician, but there are so many teachers and pianists that try to say "Oh! I can play this as fast as Horowitz and as loudly!" and they do, and that's all there is to it. Naturally there are a few exceptions, and these exceptions will eventually emerge as good or great pianists." (...)

~~~

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Benno
• Moiseiwitsch
• Brahms
• Variations
• Fugue
• Handel
• op.24
• Petri
• Ashkenazy
• Freund
• Fleisher
• Cliburn

[papanoche]

It is terrible to see how the preoccupation of older generations of pianist (in this case Moiseiwitsch, but like him many others) was for the technique to take over musicality, and to see that it actually happened! Or at least this is what i think when I see recent winners of many important competitions!!!

[xper2xper]

@papanoche

Do you feel the new generation is more musical?

[papanoche]

Hello xper2xper!!!! No, I mean the contrary!!! I think that the older generations of musicians where way more musical than the new ones!!!! And I think that lately even the winners of many important competitions are a lot better technically than they are musically. So I think that the technical standards are higher now, but unfortunately the musical standards are lower.

[papanoche]

Hello xper2xper!!!! No, I mean the contrary!!! I think that the older generations of musicians where way more musical than the new ones!!!! And I think that lately even the winners of many important competitions are a lot better technically than they are musically. So I think that the technical standards are higher now, but unfortunately the musical standards are lower. 

[lovesGenet]

1930 with this perfect sound and everywhere color makes every other post here sound unimaginative even ugly as some of the live performances here.He was 30 when he recorded this and each var . is a jewel in judgement despite tempi. I wonder that more pianists at this time didn't rec .this.can't wait to hear Petri!

[morvensky]

I completely agree with the Moiseiwitsch quote on the video description.