Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op.56b (Argerich and Freire)

An exquisite set of variations. More than nearly anything else in Brahms’ piano oeuvre, the Haydn Variations (not actually based on a theme of H’s, as it turns out, but then misattribution was common before copyright become commonplace) are full of heartfelt warmth and generosity. Argerich and Freire’s deliver a wonderful performance: the voicing is precise, the rhythmic complexity handled deftly, the climaxes exuberant, the soft passages melting.

The piece consists of a theme (unusual in featuring 2 prominent 5-bar long phrases), followed by 9 variations. As always, Brahms’ focus is on the bass line: the variations preserve the harmonic relationships and the structure of the theme, if not its melody, and take you through an extraordinary range of textures and emotions. Especially spectacular is the final variation, constructed as a passacaglia on a recurring five-measure ostinato derived from the bass supporting the theme, which features some glorious contrapuntal writing and exultant moments [13:49, 15:47] interspersed with tender passages [14:38]. Note the clever use of canonic imitation in the beginning of the passagaclia: the first four notes of Piano I have actually already appeared in the LH of Piano II, and the next four notes you hear from the LH in Piano I (B, C, Bb, A) are almost immediately repeated (transposed) in the RH of Piano I (E, F Eb, D), and then in the RH of Piano II (A, Bb, Ab, G).

00:00 – Theme
01:59 – Var. 1. A murmuring, gently exultant variation which begins by picking up on the last repeated notes of the theme.
03:01 – Var. 2. A dramatic foray in the parallel minor, featuring one of Brahms’ favourite devices: layering triplet and duplet rhythm.
03:58 – Var. 3. A delicate and painstakingly constructed contrapuntal episode. With the exception of the final variation, this one comes closes to preserving the melodic sense of the original theme.
05:44 – Var. 4. Solemn, recitative-like, sometimes bleak.
07:29 – Var. 5. A busy-scherzo-like variation which turns the repeated notes of the theme into an underlying texture and which is a natural pair with the next variation.
08:22 – Var.6. A rich, rhythmic, sumptuous variation, featuring some of the most dramatic writing in the set [9:26].
09:38 – Var.7. Tender and lyrical, with a lullaby-like rocking rhythm.
12:24 – Var.8. In sharp contrast to Var.7, Var.8 is an eerily muted harmonyscape, with long winding lines and occasional glimpses of the original theme surfacing before being submerged again. Lots of imitative counterpoint used throughout.
13:13 – Var.9 (finale). A gorgeous passacaglia.