Album

Pollini's recording of Beethoven's final masterpiece for the piano excels even in comparison with the familiar greats. Schnabel? His musical depth can't be denied, but his pianistic technique is lacking. Brendel? His recordings—one early, one late—are technically superb, but the earlier emphasizes the virtuoso element at the expense of the humanity and the latter wants humor and pathos. Richter? His three recordings are undeniably great, but all are live and all have grievous flaws. And Arrau? He was just too old to rise to the work's technical challenges.

This isn't to say that Pollini's is the best by default. True, his always astounding technique is at its peak. This means, essentially, that he makes no mistakes: no slipped notes, no flawed pedaling. Most of all, he plays the work the way Beethoven wrote it (something apparently beyond most pianists)—he finds musical depth through intellectually rigorous argument.

But what impresseses most about Pollini's Diabelli Variations is his humanity. Some critics have said that Pollini's tremendous technique and prodigious intelligence have inhibited his emotional intensity, citing his Chopin as an example. But listen to his brusque treatment of Diabelli's dumb waltz theme. Listen to his humor in the variation which combines Diabelli's theme with Leporello's opening aria from Don Giovanni. Listen to the passion of the final minor key variation. Listen to the exhilarating final fugue. And listen especially to the wistful return of the Diabelli Waltz. Then try to argue that Pollini lacks emotional intensity and that his is not the best set of Diabelli Variations.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer 33 Variations in C on a Waltz by Diabelli ('Diabelli Variations'), Op.120 Work 49:55 Maurizio Pollini Piano
1	Theme: Vivace	0:52			$0.49
2	Variation 1: Alla marcia maestoso	1:40			$0.49
3	Variation 2: Poco allegro	0:51			$0.49
4	Variation 3: L'istesso tempo	1:12			$0.49
5	Variation 4: Un poco più vivace	0:58			$0.49
6	Variation 5: Allegro vivace	0:50			$0.49
7	Variation 6: Allegro ma non troppo e serioso	1:32			$0.49
8	Variation 7: Un poco più allegro	1:15			$0.49
9	Variation 8: Poco vivace	1:23			$0.49
10	Variation 9: Allegro pesante e risoluto	1:58			$0.49
11	Variation 10: Presto	0:37			$0.49
12	Variation 11: Allegretto	1:02			$0.49
13	Variation 12: Un poco più moto	0:50			$0.49
14	Variation 13: Vivace	0:54			$0.49
15	Variation 14: Grave e maestoso	3:26			$0.99
16	Variation 15: Presto scherzando	0:35			$0.49
17	Variation 16: Allegro	0:56			$0.49
18	Variation 17: L'istesso tempo	0:58			$0.49
19	Variation 18: Poco moderato	1:23			$0.49
20	Variation 19: Presto	0:49			$0.49
21	Variation 20: Andante	2:05			$0.99
22	Variation 21: Allegro con brio	1:08			$0.49
23	Variation 22: Allegro molto alla 'Notte e giorno faticar' di Mozart	0:50			$0.49
24	Variation 23: Allegro assai	0:53			$0.49
25	Variation 24: Fughetta	2:49			$0.99
26	Variation 25: Allegro	0:47			$0.49
27	Variation 26: Allegretto	0:57			$0.49
28	Variation 27: L'istesso tempo	0:54			$0.49
29	Variation 28: Allegro	0:59			$0.49
30	Variation 29: Adagio ma non troppo	1:07			$0.49
31	Variation 30: Andante, sempre cantabile	1:46			$0.49
32	Variation 31: Largo, molto espressivo	4:48			$0.99
33	Variation 32: Fuga	2:54			$0.99
34	Variation 33: Tempo di minuetto	3:57			$0.99