Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
33 Variations in C major on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, op.120 (1822-23) [57:27]
Andante in F major ‘Andante favori’ WoO 57 (1803/04) [7:59]
Bagatelle in A minor ‘Fur Elise’ WoO 59 (?1810) [3:23]
Gerard Willems (piano)
rec. 8-10 and 12 February 2010, Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Ultimo Centre
ABC CLASSICS 476 4113 [69:13] 
I was enthusiastic about reviewing this disc, and not only because of Gerard
Willem’s reputation as a Beethoven performer after his recording of the 32
sonatas and the five
concertos.
All of Willem’s Beethoven recordings make a big deal of the Australian-made
instrument used, and one of the treats I had while on a short concert tour
in Australia in 2004 was to hear a demonstration of an impressive Stuart &
Sons piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. I won’t go into a technical
essay about the innovations which make this different to the concert grand
pianos we’re used to hearing in Europe and elsewhere, other than to indicate
that it has to do with the way the strings are connected to the bridge, affecting
the transfer of the vibration to the soundboard. The piano used in this recording
of the Diabelli Variations is also interesting in having 102 keys instead
of the usual 88, and the extra notes in the bass, though not used in this
repertoire, do have their effect on the resonant qualities of the instrument.
I really like Vladimir Ashkenazy’s recording of the Diabelli Variations
(see review),
and the rich Decca recording shows the Steinway & Sons piano in a fine
light. Immediate A/B comparison is tricky, with a more resonant acoustic for
the ABC recording, but it soon becomes clear that this Stuart & Sons piano
is one capable of packing a huge amount of ‘welly’. At first I wasn’t sure
if the ABC recording was doing the instrument too many favours in the loudest
passages – right from the first variation there seemed to be a certain amount
of maxing-out at peaks. Becoming more used to the sound of the instrument
after some further listening I went back to variations I, VII
and XVII listened more closely, with the volume well up. Even with
the volume low it still seems LOUD, as if the needle is being pushed just
that much too close to the red for comfort, but I’ll concede that some of
this effect may be due to the nature of the piano and/or Willem’s playing.
Gerard Willems has stated that the Stuart & Sons piano is not for everyone,
and that ‘less is more’ when obtaining the best from it. The massive dynamic
range of this piano certainly sounds like a potentially lethal weapon in the
wrong hands, but at the same time its mid-upper range colour has something
of a fortepiano about it in the softer passages. If only the engineers had
approached the recording with the same ‘less is more’ attitude. The effect
in this recording is something short of actual compression at high sound-pressure
levels, but the only real comparison I can make does bear comparison with
a recording made at too high a level. I have returned to this disc more than
once and on different systems to convince myself that these comments are fair
and objective, and reach the same rather uncomfortable conclusions every time.
Enough about the piano and level peaks. As mentioned, Gerard Willems has a
strong reputation with Beethoven, and this is a grand performance of the Diabelli
Variations. He admits to the gargantuan task of performing the work effectively,
but certainly has technique to spare. My personal minus points are in variations
where the tempo dips, rendering the music somewhat heavier than with Ashkenazy.
It’s swings and roundabouts with something like Variation VIII, where
you may admire the way Willems seeks to find poetry where Ashkenazy is more
breezy and light, seeing all those repetitions as a bridge towards a goal,
rather than as notes with innate qualities to be explored more deeply. Ashkenazy
undercuts Willems’ timing by a good eight minutes overall, and his more horizontal
transition of the piece explains much of this difference. Willems has lovely
moments, and the Variation XXIV Fughetta is delicious. He does bring
out a more melodramatic Beethoven when compared to the sunnier Ashkenazy,
who expresses the quirky character of the music with less of that stereotypical
Beethoven frown and glower.
Ultimately, if you are fan of Willems and the Stuart & Sons’ sound, then
you will want this to stand alongside the sonatas and concertos. I doubt anyone
will be disappointed by the fine playing, though putting up with such an in-your-face
recording for long periods is a big ask, especially in such a demandingly
extended and often stormily intense work as the Diabelli Variations.
The additional pieces are lighter fare. The Andante favori was originally
intended to be the second of the three movements of Beethoven's “Waldstein”
piano sonata, Opus 53, but was removed after criticism than the sonata was
too long. The title is said to have been given by Beethoven’s pupil Czerny
due to the piece’s popularity and its regular performance in society by Beethoven
himself. Gerard Willems gives elegant performances of this and the familiar
‘Für Elise’, and as a former music teacher it’s always nice to hear
the oft-neglected ‘non-theme’ sections.
This is an intriguing release, but ultimately one which is tough to recommend
for normal listening. I’m the first up for a full-on challenge, and can relish
a good deal of Gerard Willems’ spectacular playing in the Diabelli Variations.
The cumulative effect of that huge piano sound – too often overblown by the
recording – is however far more like being shouted at by the deaf composer
than being energised through his stunning originality. Beethoven always has
interesting things to say, but even if one were to be granted an hour’s audience
with him at a party I think this kind of bellowing would have one edging away
a well before the end of the allotted time, and I’m afraid this is the effect
this ABC disc had on me.
Dominy Clements
Dive for cover – lethal weapon turned up to 11.