Don Satz responds to Bruce McKinney writes:

>>While I love the piano version of the Handel Variations, I think I
>>almost prefer Rubbra's orchestration .... I think the only way to
>>understand the full measure of the piece is in the orchestration.
>
>I don't understand Bruce's comment and would appreciate some detail
>as to what can't be understood when the work is played on the piano.

For what it's worth to this conversation, I'd just like to pass along an
interesting concept that I heard Russell Sherman speak about at a Master
Class recently.  I believe he may also have been quoting someone else,
so please don't jump on me if I don't have the full attribution.

Anyway, he posited that there are two approaches to the piano.  In
the first, one treats it as an individual instrument with its own
characteristics.  In the other one attempts to use the piano to simulate
the instruments of the orchestra.

It would seem to follow that what Bruce is suggesting is that even using
the second approach, Brahms's ideas are too varied and complex to be fully
expressed using hammers and strings.

Ed