Bruce McKinney:

>While I love the piano version of the Handel Variations, I think I
>almost prefer Rubbra's orchestration.  I know it has been criticized
>for not sounding like Brahm's "sound", but for me that's a rather stupid
>argument.  Of course it doesn't "sound" like Brahms - it's by Rubbra.  The
>solo version (to me) seems almost too much for a solo instrument to deal
>with.  I think the only way to understand the full measure of the piece
>is in the orchestration.

I don't know about the last sentence, but I'm glad someone else agrees
with me about the Rubbra.  I can take the Brahms original until the fugue,
which seems to me way too thick in texture and fairly clunky rhythmically
besides.  But it's the kind of rough stuff only a very great composer could
think of and, more important, keep.

Steve Schwartz