BEETHOVEN: Complete Variations for Piano, Vol. 1 & Works by Mozart, Schumann & Webern - Cédric Tiberghien (2 CDs)

Cédric Tiberghien has long been interested in the principle of Beethovenian variation, as is demonstrated by a disc he made for harmonia mundi twenty years ago. He now proposes a project on a quite different scale, in which all Beethoven’s variation cycles will be juxtaposed with works illustrating the evolution of the genre, from the Renaissance to the present day. Here is the first part of a trilogy that promises to be fascinating!

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
CD1 · Variations & Fugue "Eroica Variations" Op. 35
E-flat major / Mi bémol majeur / Es-Dur
· Introduction. Allegretto vivace (3'19)
· Theme (0'42)
· Variation I (0'40)
· Variation II (0'53)
· Variation III (0'47)
· Variation IV (0'42)
· Variation V (0'56)
· Variation VI (0'42)
· Variation VII. Canone all′ottava (0'40)
· Variation VIII (1'00)
· Variation IX (0'37)
· Variation X (0'51)
· Variation XI (0'51)
· Variation XII (0'45)
· Variation XIII (0'48)
· Variation XIV (minore) (1'23)
· Variation XV (maggiore). Largo (5'54)
· Finale (alla fuga). Allegro con brio (4'51)6 Variations Op. 34
F major / Fa majeur / F-Dur
· Theme. Adagio cantabile (1'42)
· Variation I (1'40)
· Variation II. Allegro, ma non troppo (1'07)
· Variation III. Allegretto (1'20)
· Variation IV. Tempo di Minuetto (1'36)
· Variation V. Marcia. Allegretto (1'54)
· Variation VI. Allegretto (1'47)
· Coda. Allegretto - Adagio molto (2'50)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Piano Sonata No. 11 K. 331
A major / La majeur / A-Dur
· I. Tema con variazione (14'31)
· II. Menuetto - Trio (6'55)
· III. Alla turca (3'58)·

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
6 Variations Op. 76
D major / Ré majeur / D-Dur
· Theme. Allegretto risoluto (0'37)
· Variation I (0'35)
· Variation II (0'41)
· Variation III (1'07)
· Variation IV (0'51)
· Variation V (1'12)
· Variation VI. Presto (2'18)

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
CD2 Etudes in Variation Form on a Theme by Beethoven WoO 31
(from the second movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92)
A minor / La mineur / a-Moll
· 1. Un poco maestoso (1'33)
· 2. (0'36)
· 3. (0'52)
· A6. Passionato (0'46)
· 4. Molto moderato (1'16)
· A10. Prestissimo (0'36)
· B7. (1'00)
· 5. (2'27)
· B5. Cantando (0'45)
· 6. Presto (0'45)
· A7. Idee aus Beethoven (1'17)
· 7. (0'57)
· B4. (0'51)
· A11. Legato teneramente (1'03)
· B3. (2'33)

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
7 Variations on "Kind, willst du ruhig schlafen" WoO 75 (from the opera Das unterbrochene Opferfest by Peter von Winter)
F major / Fa majeur / F-Dur
· Theme. Allegretto (1'00)
· Variation I (0'59)
· Variation II (1'11)
· Variation III (1'06)
· Variation IV (1'09)
· Variation V (1'13)
· Variation VI (1'41)
· Variation VII. Allegro (3'28)

9 Variations on "Quant'e più bello" WoO 69 (from the opera La Molinara o l'Amor contrastato by Giovanni Paisiello)
A major / La majeur / A-Dur
· Theme. Allegretto (0'30)
· Variation I (0'28)
· Variation II (0'28)
· Variation III (0'33)
· Variation IV (0'37)
· Variation V (0'37)
· Variation VI (0'29)
· Variation VII (0'32)
· Variation VIII (0'31)
· Variation IX (1'39)

Anton WEBERN (1883-1945)
Variations Op. 27
· I. Sehr mäßig (2'10)
· II. Sehr schnell (0'41)
· III. Ruhig fließend (3'31)

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
6 Variations on "Nel cor più non mi sento" WoO 70 (from the opera La Molinara o l'Amor contrastato by Giovanni Paisiello)
G major / Sol majeur / G-Dur
· Theme (0'36)
· Variation I (0'34)
· Variation II (0'33)
· Variation III (0'39)
· Variation IV (0'56)
· Variation V (0'36)
· Variation VI (1'27)

8 Variations on "Tändeln und Scherzen" WoO 76 (from the opera Soliman oder die drei Sultaninnen by Franz Xaver Süssmayr)
F major / Fa majeur / F-Dur
· Theme. Andante quasi allegretto (0'40)
· Variation I (0'42)
· Variation II (0'39)
· Variation III (0'47)
· Variation IV (0'47)
· Variation V (0'52)
· Variation VI (1'04)
· Variation VII. Adagio molto ed espressivo (2'31)
· Variation VIII. Allegro vivace - Adagio (2'26)

Robert SCHUMANN
Geistervariationen / Ghost Variations WoO 24
E-flat major / Mi bémol majeur / Es-Dur
· Theme. Leise, innig (1'47)
· Variation I (1'36)
· Variation II. Canonisch (1'35)
· Variation III. Etwas belebter (1'39)
· Variation IV (2'05)
· Variation V (2'30)