Beethoven: Variations & Fugue 'Eroica Variations', Op. 35
Beethoven: 6 Variations, Op. 34
Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 11, K. 331
Beethoven: 6 Variations, Op. 76
Schumann: Etudes in Variation Form on a Theme by Beethoven, WoO 31
Beethoven: 7 Variations on 'Kind, willst du ruhig schlafen', WoO 75
Beethoven: 9 Variations on 'Quant'è più bello', WoO 69
Webern: Variations, Op. 27
Beethoven: 6 Variations on 'Nel cor più non mi sento', WoO 70
Beethoven: 8 Variations on 'Tändeln und Scherzen', WoO 76
Schumann: Ghost Variations, WoO 24

Traditionally, when pianists set their sights on completing a comprehensive project, it's usually focused on recording Beethoven's complete sonatas, Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Chopin's complete etudes, Scriabin's complete sonatas, or even Shostakovich's Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87. But here, French pianist Cédric Tiberghien is setting out on the gargantuan task to record all of Ludwig van Beethoven's sets of Variations. And that's not all. In the booklet notes he explains: "Through six programmes centred on Beethoven, I propose to take you on a journey through the world of the variation, from Sweelinck to Kurtág." In other words, he plans to demonstrate how the "variation" form over time, has revolved around the principles set down by Beethoven, or created its own set of rules.

Now under the wrong set of hands, variations can be just as exhilarating to listen to as watching paint dry. Not only does the interpreter need to expose each variation's clever or inventive transformations and mutations, but also capture and project the mood, be it humor or pathos, of each and every one. And that is certainly what Cédric Tiberghien more than achieves here in capturing, for example, the major expressive differences between the No. 10 and No. 14 in the 'Eroica Variations'. Or the highly expressive take by Robert Schumann on Beethoven's 7th Symphony, in the No. 4 variation of his Etudes in Variation Form on a Theme by Beethoven. Or again, how he fully conveys the elegant "classical" style of the Tema con variazione first movement of Mozart's Sonata No. 11.

Classical piano music enthusiasts take note. This should not only be an interesting recording project to follow, but could also prove to be groundbreaking and revelatory in its scope, and refreshing in its diversity as well. As the word 'Variation' suggests, each one should almost sound as if improvised and fresh. And Tiberghien clearly puts this across throughout.