Beethoven: Variations

1 / 32 Variations on an original theme in C minor WoO80 (13’00)
2 / 6 Variations on an original theme in F major Op 34 (14’27)
3 / 15 Variations and a fugue on an original theme ‘Eroica’ Op 35 (24’54)
4 / 9 Variations on the aria ‘Quant’è più bello’ from Paisiello’s La molinara WoO69 (6’30)
5 / 6 Variations on the duet ‘Nel cor più non mi sento’ from La molinara WoO70 (5’51)
6 / 7 Variations on ‘God save the King’ WoO78 (9’27)
7 / 5 Variations on ‘Rule, Britannia’ WoO79 (5’31)

The great ‘Eroica’ variations are the centrepiece of an album which, ending with two amusingly anglophile tributes, contains some surprisingly under-appreciated Beethoven. This is an indispensable pendant to Angela Hewitt’s ongoing survey of the piano sonatas.

Note from Angela Hewitt:
This album is the last of my many recordings for Hyperion made using my own Fazioli F2781009 (every recording since October 2003, with just two exceptions for which I used other Faziolis). When the present recording sessions were over, the movers accidentally dropped it, and the piano came to an untimely end. The loss was devastating, as I loved it so much and it did everything I wanted it to do. May this recording be a testament to its huge range of colour that always served the music so well.