The Handel Project

by Seong-Jin Cho

Overview

Among the monuments of Baroque music, Handel's keyboard music is comparatively rarely played and recorded. Thus, it is unsurprising that pianist Seong-Jin Cho's program here seems so fresh; performers haven't really come to grips with Brahms' homage to Handel in his Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24. It is a fascinating work, with small, chaconne-like variations that explore register and melodic shape in profound ways. Cho gives a muscular, arresting performance of the work here, in which the energies built up over the course of the variation set make the final fugue seem almost inevitable. Perhaps even better are Cho's performances of three Handel keyboard suites, plus a pair of Baroque dances included as encores. Cho delves into the suites in great detail. Hear how he digs into the startling harmonic shadings right at the outset, in the opening Adagio of the Suite No. 2 in F major, HWV 427. His are powerful readings of the suites, with great variety in articulation and tempo. At times, one thinks of Glenn Gould; Cho is much more sparing in his use of the pedal, but he is that commanding and charismatic. This is a strong program, brilliantly executed, and it marks the arrival of Cho in the pianistic top rank. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	03/31/2023
Label:	Deutsche Grammophon
UPC:	0028948635092
Rank:	91130

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Seong-Jin Cho   Primary Artist,Piano

Technical Credits

Mario-Felix Vogt   Liner Notes
George Frederick Handel   Theme,Composer,Original Material
Oliver Kreyssig   Creative Producer
Rainer Maillard   Recording Producer
Michel Brandjes   Piano Technician
Annette Nubbemeyer   Booklet Editor
Angelika Meissner   Executive Producer
Florian Karg   Design
Malene Hill   A&R
Nikki Kawamura   Product Manager
Stephan Rabold   Cover Photo,Photography
Natalia Kononchuk   A&R
Revna Karacabeyli   Project Coordinator
Wilhelm Kempff   Composer
Johannes Brahms   Composer