Brahms's Paganini Variations in Building a Library with Kenneth Hamilton and Andrew McGregor

Available for 4 days

Andrew McGregor with the best new classical releases, joined by guest reviewers Charlotte Gardner and Kenneth Hamilton. 1410 Music critic and journalist Charlotte Gardner talks through her pick of the week's new releases. 1500 Building a Library: Kenneth Hamilton surveys recordings of Brahms's Paganini Variations and picks his favourite. Published as a set of Studies for Pianoforte, the work consists of two books, each of which opens with the theme, Paganini's 24th Caprice in A minor, followed by fourteen variations. Fiendishly difficult and harmonically complicated the Variations are one of the pinnacles of the piano repertoire, requiring "fingers of steel, a heart of burning lava, and the courage of a lion", according to one critic. Recommended recording: Olga Kerns (piano) HARMONIA MUNDI 907392DI c.1545 Record of the Week Andrew picks his favourite new release of the week.