Reger, M.: Variations and Fugue On A Theme of J.S. Bach / Brahms, J.: 28 Variations, Op. 35 / Schubert, F.: Impromptu, Op. 142, No. 3

Featuring

Wolfgang Watzinger
Johannes Brahms
Franz Schubert
Max Reger

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Schubert's Impromptus, though appearing spontaneous, are meticulously crafted musical pieces, carefully composed for their subtle tonal effects.

Composer Biography

Robert Schumann, a German composer and influential music critic, made Brahms famous overnight in Germany with his 1853 review 'Neue Bahnen,' praising Brahms's piano playing.

Composer's Artistic Vision

The variation form, which allows composers to express imagination and technical mastery, is a central principle for Brahms, unlike Schubert.

Recording & Production

This album was recorded in the Rudolf-Oetker-Halle, Bielefeld, on February 5-6, 2004, with Alfredo Lasheras Hakobian as the sound engineer.

Performer Biography

Wolfgang Watzinger, the pianist on this recording, won First Prize at the National Piano Competition of the German Music Academies in Frankfurt in 1971.

Composition History

Max Reger composed his Bach Variations in 1904, basing the theme on a ritornello from J. S. Bach's Cantata No. 128 'Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein'.

Compositional Technique

Brahms's Paganini Variations, originally conceived as 'Forte-Piano Studies,' showcase his piano technique with complicated double-hand passages, octave glissandi, and elaborate polyrhythms.