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Variations / Sarah Beth Briggs
Avie Records

Variations / Sarah Beth Briggs

$9.99
$19.99 Save 50%

Details

Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Artist
Sarah Beth Briggs
Format
CD
Label
Avie Records
Released
Mar 24, 2023
Catalog #
AV2569
UPC
822252256925

About

Beethoven wrote in his diary that he wanted “to show the British what a treasure they have in God Save the King”, a reference to his set of variations on the national anthem, composed in 1803. Sarah Beth Briggs recorded the virtuoso set precisely one month before the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and the recording heralds the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023. The lesser-known Variations on an Original Theme in F major (1802) represent Beethoven the revolutionary. Uniquely, each variation was written in a different key which would have jarred the ears of the composer’s contemporaries. Sarah Beth Briggs’ collection of Variations underlines a lineage of the genre through the classical and Romantic eras. Opening the program is 9 Variations on a Minuet by Duport by Mozart, whom Beethoven greatly admired. The work takes a theme by cellist Jean-Pierre Duport, chamber music director of the court of the Prussian King, Friedrich Wilhelm II, from whom the composer hoped to gain favor. Mendelssohn’s Variations Serieuses was written as a tribute to Beethoven, and was included in an album of works that raised funds for the now famous bronze statue of Beethoven in Bonn. Mendelssohn’s near contemporary Brahms paid tribute to his troubled friend Robert Schumann, using a melody from Bunte Blätter (“Colorful Leaves”) in his poignant Variations on a Theme by Schumann.

REVIEWS:

Briggs’ execution is fluidly graceful and well-modulated. She approaches this repertoire with a studied care that betrays a love for the period and composers.

-- Wild Mercury Rhythm

All nine of Mozart’s Variations on a Theme by Jean-Pierre Duport, K 573 are quite delicate, sounding here almost as if they were played on a toy piano. Only the finale includes authoritative sounds. Beethoven’s 7 Variations on `God Save the King’ is sturdier; I especially enjoy the lively, witty, chordal IV. Also included is Beethoven’s 6 Variations on an Original Theme. In Variations Serieuses, Mendelssohn managed to write 17 imaginative ones. That number only slightly outdoes Brahms, who came up with 16 Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann. Lovely music, elegant playing.

-- American Record Guide

Tracklist 60 tracks

  1. 1 Theme 01:25
    Track
    1
    Title
    Theme
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  2. 2 Variation 1 01:12
    Track
    2
    Title
    Variation 1
    Duration
    01:12
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  3. 3 Variation 2 01:15
    Track
    3
    Title
    Variation 2
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  4. 4 Variation 3 01:21
    Track
    4
    Title
    Variation 3
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  5. 5 Variation 4 01:28
    Track
    5
    Title
    Variation 4
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  6. 6 Variation 5 01:38
    Track
    6
    Title
    Variation 5
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  7. 7 Variation 6 01:47
    Track
    7
    Title
    Variation 6
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  8. 8 Variation 7 01:09
    Track
    8
    Title
    Variation 7
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  9. 9 Variation 8: Adagio 02:04
    Track
    9
    Title
    Variation 8: Adagio
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  10. 10 Variation 9: Allegro - Tempo primo 02:08
    Track
    10
    Title
    Variation 9: Allegro - Tempo primo
    Duration
    02:08
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  11. 11 Theme 01:07
    Track
    11
    Title
    Theme
    Duration
    01:07
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  12. 12 Variation 1 00:50
    Track
    12
    Title
    Variation 1
    Duration
    00:50
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  13. 13 Variation 2 00:46
    Track
    13
    Title
    Variation 2
    Duration
    00:46
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  14. 14 Variation 3 00:52
    Track
    14
    Title
    Variation 3
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  15. 15 Variation 4 00:53
    Track
    15
    Title
    Variation 4
    Duration
    00:53
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  16. 16 Variation 5: Con espressione 01:21
    Track
    16
    Title
    Variation 5: Con espressione
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  17. 17 Variation 6: Allegro alla marcia 01:03
    Track
    17
    Title
    Variation 6: Allegro alla marcia
    Duration
    01:03
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  18. 18 Variation 7: (Allegro) - Adagio - Allegro 02:36
    Track
    18
    Title
    Variation 7: (Allegro) - Adagio - Allegro
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  19. 19 Theme: Adagio 01:39
    Track
    19
    Title
    Theme: Adagio
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  20. 20 Variation 1 01:53
    Track
    20
    Title
    Variation 1
    Duration
    01:53
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  21. 21 Variation 2: Allegro ma non troppo 01:08
    Track
    21
    Title
    Variation 2: Allegro ma non troppo
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  22. 22 Variation 3: Allegretto 01:14
    Track
    22
    Title
    Variation 3: Allegretto
    Duration
    01:14
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  23. 23 Variation 4: Tempo di Menuetto 01:50
    Track
    23
    Title
    Variation 4: Tempo di Menuetto
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  24. 24 Variation 5: Marcia: Allegretto 02:22
    Track
    24
    Title
    Variation 5: Marcia: Allegretto
    Duration
    02:22
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  25. 25 Variation 6: Allegretto - Coda: Adagio molto 05:06
    Track
    25
    Title
    Variation 6: Allegretto - Coda: Adagio molto
    Duration
    05:06
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  26. 26 Theme: Andante sostenuto 00:45
    Track
    26
    Title
    Theme: Andante sostenuto
    Duration
    00:45
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  27. 27 Variation 1 00:33
    Track
    27
    Title
    Variation 1
    Duration
    00:33
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  28. 28 Variation 2: Un poco più animato 00:32
    Track
    28
    Title
    Variation 2: Un poco più animato
    Duration
    00:32
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  29. 29 Variation 3: Più animato 00:23
    Track
    29
    Title
    Variation 3: Più animato
    Duration
    00:23
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  30. 30 Variation 4 00:23
    Track
    30
    Title
    Variation 4
    Duration
    00:23
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  31. 31 Variation 5: Agitato 00:29
    Track
    31
    Title
    Variation 5: Agitato
    Duration
    00:29
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  32. 32 Variation 6: Tempo I 00:26
    Track
    32
    Title
    Variation 6: Tempo I
    Duration
    00:26
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  33. 33 Variation 7 00:26
    Track
    33
    Title
    Variation 7
    Duration
    00:26
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  34. 34 Variation 8: Allegro vivace 00:20
    Track
    34
    Title
    Variation 8: Allegro vivace
    Duration
    00:20
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  35. 35 Variation 9 00:26
    Track
    35
    Title
    Variation 9
    Duration
    00:26
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  36. 36 Variation 10: Moderato 00:48
    Track
    36
    Title
    Variation 10: Moderato
    Duration
    00:48
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  37. 37 Variation 11 00:45
    Track
    37
    Title
    Variation 11
    Duration
    00:45
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  38. 38 Variation 12: Tempo di Tema 00:41
    Track
    38
    Title
    Variation 12: Tempo di Tema
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  39. 39 Variation 13 00:56
    Track
    39
    Title
    Variation 13
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  40. 40 Variation 14: Adagio 01:18
    Track
    40
    Title
    Variation 14: Adagio
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  41. 41 Variation 15: Poco a poco più agitato 00:30
    Track
    41
    Title
    Variation 15: Poco a poco più agitato
    Duration
    00:30
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  42. 42 Variation 16: Allegro vivace 00:21
    Track
    42
    Title
    Variation 16: Allegro vivace
    Duration
    00:21
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  43. 43 Variation 17: (Allegro vivace) - Presto 02:56
    Track
    43
    Title
    Variation 17: (Allegro vivace) - Presto
    Duration
    02:56
    Composer
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  44. 44 Theme: Ziemlich langsam 01:15
    Track
    44
    Title
    Theme: Ziemlich langsam
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  45. 45 Variation 1 01:18
    Track
    45
    Title
    Variation 1
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  46. 46 Variation 2: Poco più moto 00:29
    Track
    46
    Title
    Variation 2: Poco più moto
    Duration
    00:29
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  47. 47 Variation 3: Tempo di tema 01:11
    Track
    47
    Title
    Variation 3: Tempo di tema
    Duration
    01:11
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  48. 48 Variation 4: Poco più moto 00:44
    Track
    48
    Title
    Variation 4: Poco più moto
    Duration
    00:44
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  49. 49 Variation 5: Allegro capriccioso 00:53
    Track
    49
    Title
    Variation 5: Allegro capriccioso
    Duration
    00:53
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  50. 50 Variation 6: Allegro 00:56
    Track
    50
    Title
    Variation 6: Allegro
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  51. 51 Variation 7: Andante 01:04
    Track
    51
    Title
    Variation 7: Andante
    Duration
    01:04
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  52. 52 Variation 8: Andante (non troppo lento) 01:48
    Track
    52
    Title
    Variation 8: Andante (non troppo lento)
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  53. 53 Variation 9: Schnell 00:40
    Track
    53
    Title
    Variation 9: Schnell
    Duration
    00:40
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  54. 54 Variation 10: Poco adagio 02:41
    Track
    54
    Title
    Variation 10: Poco adagio
    Duration
    02:41
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  55. 55 Variation 11: Un poco più animato 00:45
    Track
    55
    Title
    Variation 11: Un poco più animato
    Duration
    00:45
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  56. 56 Variation 12: Allegretto, poco scherzando 00:46
    Track
    56
    Title
    Variation 12: Allegretto, poco scherzando
    Duration
    00:46
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  57. 57 Variation 13: Non troppo presto 00:35
    Track
    57
    Title
    Variation 13: Non troppo presto
    Duration
    00:35
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  58. 58 Variation 14: Andante 01:09
    Track
    58
    Title
    Variation 14: Andante
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  59. 59 Variation 15: Poco adagio 02:06
    Track
    59
    Title
    Variation 15: Poco adagio
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs
  60. 60 Variation 16: (Adagio) 02:53
    Track
    60
    Title
    Variation 16: (Adagio)
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Sarah Beth Briggs