Diversions for Piano (left hand) and Orchestra
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Diversions for piano (left hand) and orchestra is a concertante music composition by Benjamin Britten. Britten wrote the work for the Viennese-born pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm in World War I. Britten met Wittgenstein in New York in July and sketched the piece in August of 1940 at Owl's Head, Maine. Although Wittgenstein complained about the orchestration, Britten declined to make any changes.[citation needed] In spite of this situation, Wittegenstein retained the performing rights for a good number of years, which kept other pianists from performing the work.[1]
Wittgenstein played the premiere of the Diversion with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Ormandy on 16 January 1942. The Philadelphia reviewers at the time of the premiere commented more on Wittgenstein and his work as a one-armed pianist more than the composition itself. The Philadelphia Record did describe the score as "ingeniously written", whilst Musical America commented on the presence of both "pleasurable and dull moments" in the work.[2]
The piece is in the form of a set of 11 variations on a theme:
- Theme
- Variation I, Recitative
- Variation II, Romance
- Variation III, March
- Variation IV, Rubato
- Variation V, Chorale
- Variation VI, Nocturne
- Variation VII, Badinerie
- Variation VIII, Ritmico
- Variation IXa, Toccata I
- Variation IXb, Toccata II
- Variation X, Adagio
- Variation XI, Tarantella
Britten utilised music that he wrote for a production of J. B. Priestley's Johnson over Jordan as source material for the work.[3] Lyn Henderson has noted the influence of Prokofiev-like rhythms in Variation IXa.[4] Christopher Mark has discussed Britten's use of the "circle of fifths" in various works, including the Diversions.[5]
[edit] Recordings
- Decca LXT 2981 (original LP): Julius Katchen, pianist; London Symphony Orchestra; Benjamin Britten, conductor[6]
- Desto Records DC-7168 (original LP): Leon Fleisher, pianist; Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Sergiu Comissiona, conductor
- EMI Classics: Peter Donohoe, pianist; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Sir Simon Rattle, conductor
[edit] References
- ^ Thackeray, Ruth (1978). "Music in London: Orchestral". The Musical Times 119 (1629): 975–977.
- ^ Robinson, Suzanne (1997). ""An English Composer Sees America": Benjamin Britten and the North American Press, 1939-42". American Music 15 (3): 321–351. doi:.
- ^ Salter, Lionel (1994). "Book Reviews". The Musical Times 119 (2): 268–297.
- ^ Henderson, Lyn (January 1987). "His Influence on Britten: The Vital Prokofiev". The Musical Times 128 (1727): 24–25.
- ^ Mark, Christopher (1994). "Britten and the Circle of Fifths". Journal of the Royal Musical Association 119 (2): 268–297. doi:.
- ^ Thomson, Eric (1955). "Record Guide". Tempo (New Ser.) 36: 35.
