Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120 (Remastered) John Browning

• Ludwig van Beetvoven: (1770-1827): Diabelli Variations - 33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, Op. 120:
• 1 Tema. Vivace 00:53
• 2 Var. 1 - Alla Marcia maestoso 01:40
• 3 Var. 2 - Poco allegro 00:59
• 4 Var. 3 - L'istesso tempo 01:26
• 5 Var. 4 - Un poco più vivace 01:04
• 6 Var. 5 - Allegro vivace 00:56
• 7 Var. 6 - Allegro ma non troppo e serioso 01:47
• 8 Var. 7 - Un poco più allegro 01:05
• 9 Var. 8 - Poco vivace 01:32
• 10 Var. 9 - Allegro pesante e risoluto 01:55
• 11 Var. 10 - Presto 00:34
• 12 Var. 11 - Allegretto 01:15
• 13 Var. 12 - Un poco più moto 00:52
• 14 Var. 13 - Vivace 01:02
• 15 Var. 14 - Grave e maestoso 03:50
• 16 Var. 15 - Presto scherzando 00:35
• 17 Var. 16 - Allegro 00:56
• 18 Var. 17 00:56
• 19 Var. 18 - Poco moderato 01:33
• 20 Var. 19 - Presto 00:48
• 21 Var. 20 - Andante 02:33
• 22 Var. 21 - Allegro con brio, Meno allegro, Tempo I 01:06
• 23 Var. 22 - Allegro molto (alla "Notte e giorno faticar" di Mozart) 00:46
• 24 Var. 23 - Allegro assai 00:48
• 25 Var. 24 - Fughetta. Andante 03:17
• 26 Var. 25 - Allegro 00:46
• 27 Var. 26 01:12
• 28 Var. 27 - Vivace 00:58
• 29 Var. 28 - Allegro 01:05
• 30 Var. 29 - Adagio ma non troppo 01:33
• 31 Var. 30 - Andante, sempre cantabile 02:20
• 32 Var. 31 - Largo, molto espressivo 05:26
• 33 Var. 32 - Fuga. Allegro - Poco adagio 02:50
• 34 Var. 33 - Tempo di Menuetto moderato (ma non tirarsi dietro) 04:09
• Total Runtime 54:27

Info for Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120 (Remastered)

This recording was made in 1966, and was the first by John Browning (1933-2003) for RCA Victor. The original LP sleeve carries a testimonial by his teacher Rosina Lhevinne and, at the time of the recording's release, the critic of the Gramophone magazine wrote: "John Browning brings to the Diabelli Variations a sure technique (including a beautifully controlled left hand) and a profound sensibility, together with a sharp ear for the music's variety of moods. If he takes rather longer to play it than anyone else it is because he is determined that we shall miss none of its beauties how ever unemphatic ... "

One of the most respected American pianists of his generation, John Browning earned the acclaim and admiration of audiences and professionals alike for his immaculate technique and cultivated musicianship. Paying tribute to a uniquely distinctive artist, this collection is the first ever release of his complete recordings for Columbia Masterworks and RCA Victor – including a full Debussy recital that has never been released before.

John Browning, piano

Digitally remastered

John Browning
was born to musical parents in Denver, Colorado, in 1933. He studied piano from age 5 with his mother and, at the age of 10, was accepted as a student by Rosina Lhévinne. He appeared as a soloist with the Denver Symphony Orchestra later that same year.

In 1945 his family moved to Los Angeles, California. He spent two years at Occidental College there. He began his studies at the Juilliard School in New York with Rosina Lhévinne in 1950. He won the Leventritt Competition in 1955 and made his professional orchestral debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1956. At this point his career came under the management of well-known talent manager Herbert Barrett, later signing with Columbia Artists Management Inc. in the early 1990s.

In 1962 he gave the premiere of Samuel Barber's Pulitzer Prize-winning Piano Concerto, which was written for him, in connection with the opening of Lincoln Center. He subsequently made a commercial recording of the work for Columbia with George Szell conducting the Cleveland Orchestra. His second recording of the work, with Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1991 for RCA Victor, won a Grammy Award for best instrumental soloist with orchestra. Browning won a second Grammy in 1993 with a disc of Barber's solo works on Music Masters. He continued to follow the works of contemporary American composers but found relatively few to his liking.

Browning developed a busy career, giving some 100 concerts a season. He eased his schedule in the 1970s, explaining later that he had grown ragged from overwork. In the 1990s, his career had something of a renaissance. His last public appearance was at the National Gallery of Art in Washington in April 2002. His last performance of all was to an invited audience at the United States Supreme Court in May 2002. He died (from heart failure) at the age of 69 some eight months later in Sister Bay, Wisconsin.

John Browning is remembered for his penetrating, intellectual interpretations of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and Scarlatti, among others, and for his many recordings of the works of these and other composers.

This album contains no booklet.