Giovanni Mazzocchin - Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120 & 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126 (2017) [Hi-Res]

"33 Veränderungen über einen Walzer einen Walzer von Diabelli": this is the original German title chosen by Beethoven for one of his last great bursts of musical inspiration. Even the title is remarkable, indeed, he did not choose the traditional word "Variation", but the more germanic-sounding "Veränderungen", whose approximate translation could be "transformation". As a matter of fact, the word "tranformation" fits the purpose: by going through the whole composition, the listener (and the pianist) can realize Beethoven's will for the conversion and destruction of the coarse and childish theme written by Diabelli.

The master from Bonn did not solely "kindle" the futile waltz, but also rediscovered (after the last three sonatas) the great masters of the previous century (in the two fugues) and of the Viennese school (in the last Minuetto).

Even though the Diabelli Variations constitute the master's last outstanding work for the piano, he did not use it so as to give his ultimate farewell to the instrument. While he was delving into the great string quartets, he found the time to write the final set of Bagattellas (literally "trivial things"), in which any kind of rhetoric and wish for greatness is abandoned in order to reach a lighter and fainter musical language: namely the Bagattellas are truly "romantic" creations.

Giovanni Mazzocchin, young promise of Italian pianism, gives to Diabelli Variations (aka. "Transformations") an analytical and very precise reading.