Lesser heard "Paganini Variations"

[Rach3]

Just for fun, a few at a time, all solo piano:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajX4WcoomQQ ( Rosenblatt )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qez9Oq97A_Y ( Hambourg )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzLNAtUZR8Y (Berkovich )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZCKphY-P2o ( Hamelin )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okl7_SDhVSU (Say)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTAEW9Advdg (Muczynski )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ9MJ4OqVSA (Chopin/Rossini , “Souvenir de Paganini “ )

[Ricordanza]

I've had the good fortune to hear Hamelin perform these variations twice: as an encore at a 2012 recital and as part of the main program in a 2015 recital. This was my impression in 2012:

Hamelin then launched into this work, playing the familiar theme with a slightly off-kilter harmony and following that with some of the most imaginative and fascinating variations I have ever heard of any theme. At times, he incorporated jazz elements, venturesome harmonies, some modern sounding sound clusters, touches of humor, and brilliant pianistic flourishes (of course). One variation was a type of “PDQ Bach” creation, with snippets of Beethoven and other classical and popular works. One variation worked in another Paganini tune, La Campanella. And one variation contained an introduction very much like Rachmaninoff’s 18th variation, making us think that we would then hear the famous lyrical inversion, but we heard another lyrical variation instead. After a brilliant conclusion, the audience reacted wildly. This was Hamelin, the composer-pianist, at his absolute best.

[Rach3]

Thanks,Ricordanza. I think you'll like the Hambourg as well, completely different than Hamelin's treatment.