Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770 – 1827)
Thirty-Three Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli,
Op. 120 (1823) [58:41]
Lars Petter HAGEN (b. 1975): Diabelli Cadenza – for
piano and EBow [4:46]
Ingrid Andsnes (piano)
rec. 3-4, 6-7 August 2015, Sofienberg kirke, Oslo
SIMAX CLASSICS PSC1350 [63:27]
When Beethoven had finished his 32nd and last piano sonata
in 1822 he set to work with an even bigger challenge: the Thirty-Three
Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli. Diabelli was primarily a publisher
but he had an idea about publishing a collection of variations on a little
waltz by himself. Among the composers he approached was Beethoven, who turned
down the proposal (this was in 1819) but later he obviously changed his mind
and saw the possibilities of this rather simple tune in C major. When the
inspiration flowed the result was one of the grandest of piano compositions
with a duration of circa one hour. Not only is it a terrible challenge physically
and technically but also mentally. Ingrid Andsnes, sister of Leif Ove Andsnes,
spent four days recording it in an Oslo church, and to judge by the result
it was four well spent days. The Simax recording team have provided her with
well-balanced sound in an agreeable acoustic. She responded with classically
noble playing, without exaggerated dynamics and over-romantic rubatos. Tempos
are throughout well-judged and her shaping of phrases is unerring. As I followed
her through the variations and enjoyed her way of breathing with the music,
I became more and more convinced that this was going to be a reading for all
tastes. There are no idiosyncrasies but is maybe less individual than, say,
Stephen Kovacevich in his Philips recording from 1968, which has been a benchmark
recording for close to half a century. Kovacevich’s tempos are generally
faster which gives his reading greater urgency but Ingrid Andsnes’ slightly
more relaxed approach has its own validity. Both versions are highly desirable
– until we reach the end of the Fuga in variation 32. Beethoven
inserts a short cadenza that leads over to the concluding minuet. Here Ingrid
Andsnes has invited Lars Petter Hagen to write his own variation, an extra
to be performed with Beethoven’s 33. It is an interesting idea and I
can’t resist quoting Hagen’s own comment:
"I like to think of composition as a direct dialogue with history, and
history is getting very present when you write for instruments created for
music made 200 years ago. At the same time, the music is being performed today,
here and now, by a wonderful pianist like Ingrid Andsnes, for example. This
historical presence in the contemporary world is something that makes classical
music concerts unique.
"There is nothing to add to Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations. Any
attempted addition is really a subtraction. So this is my attempt to limit
Beethoven, through intervention. I wanted to give the music a new framework
or a shadow.
I was very happy and at the same time terrified when Ingrid asked me to write
a new variation that would be performed together with Beethoven’s. It
was obvious from the start that I was going to fail, and that is why I admire
Ingrid’s courage. To make art you really need to believe in the impossible
and to expose yourself to weakness and the possibility of failure. No-one
said it better than Samuel Beckett: ‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.
Try again. Fail again. Fail better.’”
What Hagen has created is a 5-minute-long piece for piano and EBow. This latter
is – and here I quote Wikipedia – ‘a type of monophonic
handheld electromagnetic string driver, invented by Greg Heet in 1969. The
name Ebow stands for "Electronic Bow" (or Energy Bow). The EBow
is a battery-powered electronic device for playing the electric guitar. The
EBow uses a pickup - inductive string driver - feedback circuit, including
a sensor coil, driver coil and amplifier, to induce forced string vibrations.
The Ebow is monophonic, and drives one string at a time, producing a sound
reminiscent of using a bow on the strings.’ Obviously it can also be
applied to the piano strings and then produces rather esoteric sounds. Quite
fascinating in fact but with no likeness either to the traditional sounds
of a piano or to the music of Beethoven. Hagen gives the music ‘a new
framework or a shadow.’ Does it also give increased value to the music?
I have listened to the fugue, this new cadenza and the minuet a couple of
times to test my reaction. I do feel it is a limitation on Beethoven, it is
an intervention that breaks the natural flow of the music. Maybe I can get
used to it, maybe this is a way to unite the world of Beethoven and the world
of today’s music but I am sceptical.
However, I urge readers to give it a try and I hope that they find that they
are less rigid than I am. It would be a pity if Ingrid Andsnes’ intelligent
and finely sculpted reading of the Diabelli Variations would be ruled out
for this reason. It is possible – pace Lars Petter Hagen –
to skip the ‘intervention’ by programming the CD player. I understand
this is Ingrid Andsnes’ first solo disc and I am looking forward to
hearing more from her.
Göran Forsling
Track listing
1. Theme. Vivace [0:50]
2. Var. 1: Alla Marcia maestoso [1:56]
3. Var. 2: Poco allegro [0:55]
4. Var. 3: L’istesso tempo [1:28]
5. Var. 4: Un poco pił vivace [1:10]
6. Var. 5: Allegro vivace [1:06]
7. Var. 6: Allegro ma non troppo e serioso [1:46]
8. Var. 7: Un poco pił allegro [1:11]
9. Var. 8: Poco vivace [1:23]
10. Var. 9: Allegro pesante e risoluto [1:50]
11. Var. 10: Presto [1:42]
12. Var. 11: Allegretto [1:16]
13. Var. 12: Un poco pił moto [1:02]
14. Var. 13: Vivace [1:07]
15. Var. 14: Grave e maestoso [4:52]
16. Var. 15: Presto scherzando [0:37]
17. Var. 16: Allegro [1:01]
18. Var. 17: Allegro [1:04]
19. Var. 18: Poco moderato [2:04]
20. Var. 19: Presto [1:02]
21. Var. 20: Andante [2:53]
22. Var. 21: Allegro con brio – Meno allegro – Tempo primo
[1:12]
23. Var. 22: Allegro molto, alla ‘Notte e giorno faticar’
di Mozart [1:01]
24. Var. 23: Allegro assai [0:58]
25. Var. 24: Fughetta (Andante) [3:46]
26. Var. 25: Allegro [0:51]
27. Var. 26: (Piacevole) [1:25]
28. Var. 27: Vivace [1:06]
29. Var. 28: Allegro [1:00]
30. Var. 29: Adagio ma non troppo [1:32]
31. Var. 30: Andante, sempre cantabile [2:04]
32. Var. 31: Largo, molto espressivo [5:04]
33. Var. 32: Fuga: Allegro [2:40]
34. Hagen
35. Var. 33: Tempo di Menuetto moderato [3:47]
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