Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations are, without a doubt, an integral part of great piano literature. Here, pianist Friedrich Gulda interprets the works. When Gulda recorded these works in the 1960s, he joined forces with producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer to create a unique sound. Brunner-Schwer hung the microphones directly over the strings of the piano to give Gulda a presence that feels as though he is live. Joachim Kaiser wrote of Gulda’s performances, “Gulda’s remarkable qualities take him far beyond mere virtuosity and the capacity for brilliant piano playing. Gulda plays the most articulate, fascinating, natural, and purest Beethoven of the century.