Letter V Classical Radio this week

Johannes Brahms, master of the art of variation: His piano variations on themes by Handel, Haydn, Paganini and Schumann, played alongside their sources; his rarely heard “13 Variations on a Hungarian Song,” played alongside a set of his familiar Hungarian dances; and, to conclude, his most famous variation on a theme – the
old collegiate drinking song “Gaudeamus Igitur” – in the “Academic Festival” Overture.

April 5
noon-3 p.m. EST
1700-2000 UTC/GMT
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
http://www.wdce.org

Brahms: Hungarian dances –
No. 3 in F major
No. 4 in F minor
No. 5 in F sharp minor
(orchestrations by Marc-Olivier Dupin,
based on arrangements by Joseph Joachim)
Patrice Fontanarosa, violin
Jan Talich
Chamber Orchestra
(EMI Classics)

Brahms:
“13 Variations on a Hungarian Song,”
Op. 21, No. 2
Andreas Bach, piano
(Oehms Classics)

Handel:
Suite in B flat major, HWV 434
Shai Wosner, piano
(Onyx)

Brahms: “Variations on a Theme by Handel,” Op. 24
Shai Wosner, piano
(Onyx)

Paganini:
Caprice in A minor,
Op. 1, No. 24
Midori, violin
(Sony Classical)

Brahms:
“Variations on a
Theme of Paganini,”
Op. 35 – Books 1 & 2
(selections)
Yuja Wang, piano
(Deutsche Grammophon)

Past Masters:
Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor
(“La campanella”)
Ivry Gitlis, violin
Warsaw National Philharmonic/Stanislaw Wislocki
(recorded 1966)
(Philips)

Brahms:
Capriccio in B minor,
Op. 76, No. 2
Ivan Moravec, piano
(Supraphon)

Schumann:
“Bunte blätter,”
Op. 99, No. 4
Louis Lortie, piano
(Chandos)

Brahms: “Variations on a Theme of Schumann,” Op. 9
Louis Lortie, piano
(Chandos)

Haydn (attr.):
Octet (Partita)
in B flat major,
Hob. II:46
Consortium Classicum
(Warner Classics)

Brahms:
“Variations on a Theme
by Haydn,” Op. 56
Martha Argerich & Nelson Freire, pianos
(Deutsche Grammophon)

Brahms: “Academic Festival” Overture
Gewandhaus Orchestra, Leipzig/Riccardo Chailly
(Decca)