Johannes Brahms(1833-1897) Handel Variations, Opus 24 For Part 5, we meet up with recorded performances from two of the legendary pianists of the 20th century: Egon Petri Piano Library/Enterprise 286 Recorded 1938 Solomon Philips Great Pianist Series 456973 Recorded 1952 Cutting to the essentials, Solomon joins Arnoldo Cohen and Leon Fleisher as the top versions of Handel's Variations & Fugue on a Theme by Handel. There isn't a weak spot in the entire performance, but there are numerous memorable ones. Solomon starts us off with a regal and soft-toned Theme draped in elegance; although I prefer a little more power, I can't deny that Solomon handles his approach with perfection. If you like 'controlled abandon' and exuberance, Solomon delivers a wealth of these qualities in every single fast and exciting variation and the Fugue. This applies to Variations 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 14, 15, and 25. Concerning the Fugue, Solomon's version is the most interesting and pulsating of all I've encountered. Variations 6, 9, 13, 20, and 24 each carry a heavy emotional weight, and Solomon gives each a commanding presence. His 9th Variation is particuarly slow and illuminates many details. I love, as most do, the slower, contemplative, and urgent variations such as nos. 2, 5, 11, and 12. Perhaps, this is where Solomon is at his very best. Each piece bristles with an intense yet subtle urgency which is utterly compelling. Solomon exceptionally applies the light touch to Variations 16, 18, and 19. He can also ask questions with the best of them as evidenced by his Variation 17. Also, I love the bounce and spring from his Variation 23. Any drawbacks? Yes, sound quality. The fact is that it won't win any awards even if it had been recorded in the early 1930's, and it's loaded with hiss. Further, soft passages need a large volume increase to be projected decently; of course, that only exacerbates the ominous hiss. I was going to rate the recording as essential but not at the highest level because of the sound quality. But the more I listen, the more Solomon dwarfs any sound considerations. So, the hell with the sound and just enjoy a commanding interpretation from a legend. Speaking of a commanding interpretation fully at the service of the music, Egon Petri's performances are also at the top level. Like Solomon, there isn't any particular style employed by Petri. He just gives the Theme, each variation, and the Fugue exactly what each needs from a musical perspective. Petri is generally of quicker tempo than Solomon, but this is a moot issue in consideration of such superlative interpretations. Petri's most impressive trait is his mesmorizing soft and hushed passages which provide a wonderful contrast as in the Fugue where these hushed tones get branded into my memory. Another unique feature comes from his 22nd Variation where the build-up of energy is irresistable. However, play any variation and you will hear the essence of musical communication from the composer to the listener. The most significant difference between the Solomon and Petri versions concerns the sound. Petri's sound has none of the recessed nature of the Solomon nor the great amount of hiss. Unfortunately, the Petri sound does have one major negative - lack of color. I consider this feature mainly to be a product of the 'Cedar Restoration' sound application which does quite a bleaching job on the piano tone. Perhaps it could be put to better use in one's washing machine. With Petri and Solomon at the zenith, we now have four transcendent versions to choose from. If sound is a major priority for you, either the Cohen or Fleischer recordings should well satisfy. Those more concerned with performance than sound are advised to obtain the Petri and Solomon performances as soon as possible. The Solomon version was also available from the Testament label, but my feedback is that the disc has been taken out of print; the Pearl label also appears to have the same performance. Concerning the Petri version, it is also available on Iron Needle. I want to emphasize that my opinions about sound quality only apply to the Enterprise and Philips versions I reviewed. Don's Conclusions: Petri and Solomon go to the head of the class along with Cohen and Fleischer. I do recommend caution about the sound quality of these two historical recordings, but a sampling from a CD sales site will *not* give you a good idea of the sound you will be buying. I still have a small number of other versions of the Handel Variations to review and am particularly looking forward to the two different performances from Rosalyn Tureck on the VAI label; one is from a few decades ago, the other fairly recent. Does Tureck do Brahms as well as she does Bach? The answer is forthcoming. Don Satz [log in to unmask]