Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, (Anderszewski)

A performance that’s so crazily, unreasonably beautiful that it’s sort of ridiculous to listen to this if it’s your first encounter with the Diabelli Variations -- it’s too personal, too out-there in terms of the lengths to which it will go to give breath to Beethoven’s conception, to serve as an introduction. But -- what the heck -- it’s too good not to share. The interpretive insight here is transfixing, the pianism revelatory (if something here sounds strange, just think a little about exactly what the text instructs and you’ll see how it suddenly makes sense). Unlike many other (admittedly excellent) recordings, there is no attempt made at smoothing out the huge dynamic contrasts Beethoven asks for (the pianossimos are real pianissimos); the sense of rhythm is tremendous, every inflection laser-etched, every variation utterly vivid, beflecked with colour. As for the Diabelli Variations themselves -- well, they’ve got a good shot at being the greatest thing written f