Handel Variations, Op. 24; Paganini Variations, Op. 35; Ballades, Op. 10
Johannes Brahms
Julius Katchen
Handel Variations; Paganini Variations; Four Ballades, Op. 10 early 1960sGil's top recommendation, available as a single disc or in his complete Brahms box set. Katchen shows 'wonderful finesse' in the 'Handel Variations,' 'wonderful virtuosity... also wonderful color' in the 'Paganini Variations,' and 'nails the introspective character' of the 'Ballades.'
Apple Music — Handel and Paganini Variations and the four Ballades within the collected solo recordings.Benno Moiseiwitsch
Handel Variations 1953A mono recording of the 'Handel Variations' with a 'wonderful feel for Brahms.' It has a 'wonderful sense of spontaneity and character,' and is 'very powerful... and poetic as well.'
Solomon
Handel Variations 1942An 'iconic version' of the 'Handel Variations' (coupled with his Concerto No. 1). The sound is 'noisy,' but the playing is 'wonderfully captivating, very powerful and strong' with 'wonderful imagination and creativity.'
Egon Petri
Paganini Variations 1937A 'very strong playing, very virtuosic,' and 'very, very intense' performance of the 'Paganini Variations' with a 'wonderful strong tone,' despite the 1937 sound.