Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli - Brahms Variations on a Theme by Paganini (live 1952, unreleased) 

The Florence recital isn't available on CD anymore?

Really? When and where did you hear him play in the last years?

Check out the CDs available in our store, all first releases tinyurl.com/ugj5pye

Yes indeed! In our opinion, it is his finest recording of this work.

@@ClassicalPianoRarities Yes, absolutely. There is a handful of other pianists who can handle the piece technically. But Michelangeli also plays it with sublime beauty.

We’re searching for recorded recitals featuring works new to his discography, like the Liszt Polonaise No 2.

The full recital is available on our CD issue. Link in the description.

Yes indeed. This performance has been circulating for years, we’re very happy to have found this superior source and tracked down the exact date. More to come! Let us know how you like the rest of the concert when you listen to it. Cheers!

The full recital is available on our CD issue. Link in the description.

It’s fabulous playing.

Ah, but this is Florence Feb 11, 1952 not Arezzo. It’s an entirely different recital. Complete recording is available here: www.trepstar.com/purchase.asp?idprod=291590&mode=itemlist And also on our Patreon as a download www.patreon.com/classicalpianorarities

Thank you very much indeed!!

The full recital is available on our CD issue. Link in the description.

Possibly because that part is unpianistic!

Classical Piano Rarities 🎹 I perfectly agree that that part is unpianistic, but in my personal opinion an executor should faithfully stick to the score. Anyway, I repeat that this is a magnificent execution, certainly one of the best of this piece.

Sure! However, Brahms himself approved when Rosenthal played his own ordering. Horowitz also played selections from both books until 1942.

Classical Piano Rarities 🎹 Thank you very much for the information, I didn’t know that!

It would be impossible to play at his tempo

Check out the CDs available in our store, all first releases tinyurl.com/ugj5pye

A staple in his repertoire since the 1930’s....

@@ClassicalPianoRarities I think... this might be my favorite performance... I DO LOVE Emil Gilels version...

Gilels played both books but only recorded Book I. He famously programmed both books in the 1930’s and 40’s, that must have been quite astonishing.

@@ClassicalPianoRarities BUT... there's a LIVE video of him playing BOTH books...!

Gilels only plays book 1 on video. There is no know recording of him in book 2, which he did not program after the 40’s.

Thank you for the info! We will look for the Archipel release of the 1952 Arezzo.

Happy you liked it. More to come!

Check out the CDs available in our store, all first releases tinyurl.com/ugj5pye

We do not have an “original source”, only a WAV transfer of the private tape. This was circulating amongst collectors since 2012 or so... the Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales which was on the program - is missing.

@@ClassicalPianoRarities What I am trying to understand, is the "original source", which even you have in quotation marks - how can one verify the authenticity? By now I would think copyright has expired so it would be interesting to know the "source".

We have the concert programs, and several copies of this private tape. The playing is extremely similar to the Arezzo 1952, and is clearly Michelangeli. His tone and style is inimitable. It is also his unique reordering of the variations.

@@ClassicalPianoRarities Thank you for the quick responses. I was fortunate to have heard him at Carnegie Hall in 1966. He came on over an hour late (as often he did), but he DID come on. At a certain point, the union turned all the lights on and probably went home. And although he rarely played encores, he played, "La Cathedrale Engloutie"

I've seen one before but can't find it at the moment.

You can’t listen to the recording because the last note cuts off a bit and the applause was not fully captured by the Radio station? 😂

Fa ridere? Son contento per lei... Le auguro un giorno un coitus interruptus... 😂

Why thank you. How rude of you. At any rate, your comments will stay up. There is a performance from Arezzo, 1952 with the last note intact: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fB0jC69vcbc.html We hope it satisfies you. Have a good day now.

scusi, MYPIANORARITIES, in effetti c'è un 'leggero' taglio, ma non è così drammatico, Newly many tks to Classical Piano Rarities- Tiziana da Genova!

Mi consenta Signora Capuano, a prescindere da quello che può essere l'aspetto più o meno "drammatico", che è legato alla soggettività di ciascuno di noi, quel che rimane di OGGETTIVO è la scriteriata decisione di tagliare l'ultima nota, poiché da qualsiasi punto di vista lo si guardi, non produce effetti migliorativi, anzi solo fortemente negativi! Si è operato così in nome della purezza, dell'integrità del suono? Follia: tagli e integrità sono termini inconciliabili, ovvero degli ossimori! Per coerenza andrebbero eliminati allora anche i colpi di tosse, durante l'esecuzione! Altra follia!!! Non solo, arte è sinonimo di comunicazione e come tale il miracoloso documento sonoro qui postato RECIDE incoscientemente (si spera) l'abnorme emozione, che "contagia" l'ascoltatore parimenti a chi ha assistito dal vivo a quel Brahms, come un virus! E il paragone con la castrazione e/o il coito interrotto non aveva intenti offensivi; certamente era una affermazione forte, ma spesso capita che l'estremizzazione rappresenta sovente la maniera migliore al fine di riuscire a far comprendere concetti lapalissiani, come quello di cui sopra, ma apparentemente poco decifrabili. La domanda la rivolgo nuovamente, visto che non ho ottenuto risposta, dato che si è privilegiato l'aspetto soggettivo dell'essere più o meno "drammatico" quel taglio sugli ascoltatori: IN NOME DI CHE COSA si è agito e/o tentato di salvaguardare con tale scriteriata operazione??? In nome del nulla glielo posso garantire! Fra l'altro è la seconda volta che mi capita ascoltando Benedetti Michelangeli: la prima avvenne quando diversi anni fa una celebre casa discografica (pure ai vertici accadono simili scempi) decise che era "meglio" censurare (alla stessa maniera) l'ultima nota del Concerto per pianoforte e orchestra di Schumann con un Michelangeli diciottenne, esordiente alla Carnagie Hall in un recital diretto da Mitropoulos!