Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
    Handel Variations, Op. 24

Yves Nat, piano
Recorded 1955
EMI Classics 69461 [2cds]

Comparison Version: Arnaldo Cohen/Vox

Yves Nat's recording of the Handel Variations comes from a 2-cd set
containing some wonderful works such as Schubert's Moments musicaux,
Chopin's 2nd Piano Sonata and Fantaisie, and Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody
No. 2.  Also included is Chopin's Barcarolle which I reviewed just a
short number of days ago.

I didn't have a good opinion of Nat's land-locked performance of the
Barcarolle, but his Handel Variations is an entirely different manner.
Clearly excellent, Nat offers all the tension, poignancy, and beauty
inherent in the score.  I used the Cohen recording for comparision,
because both he and Nat possess a superb flow of the music and natural
spacing between each variation.  Of course, Cohen enjoys the better
recorded sound.  Nat's sound is not very crisp, and there is some
congestion in the loudest passages.  However, it's not bad at all for
1955 and doesn't damage the artistry exhibited by Nat which is most
attractive in the more poignant variations where he injects a compelling
sense of urgency.

There is one blot on the performances, and it comes in the shape of the
22nd Variation.  This music has a pristine and delicate beauty that Nat
rips apart through an overly strong presentation.  Actually, he sounds
like a freight train going through the center of town.  It's a horrible
performance, and I can't for the life of me understand what was going
through Nat's mind when he recorded it.

Don's Conclusions: Other than the 22nd Variation, we are in the presence
of a superb set of vibrant interpretations that compare well to the
better versions on record.  I strongly recommend that piano enthusiasts
seek out this 2-cd set as well as the 4-cd set of Schumann performances
also on EMI.  Yves Nat does not get the acclaim he deserves, but we can
redress the situation somewhat through acquiring his recordings.

Don Satz
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