Customer Reviews

Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

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During the 1970s, the inspiring pianist Ursula Oppens commissioned Rzewski to write a set of variations that she would perform at Carnegie Hall together with Beethoven's Diabelli Variations. The result was a masterpiece of 20th century Romanticism, continuing the clear line from Beethoven through Brahms that faltered with the deaths of McDowell, Medtner, and Rachmaninov in the first half of the 20th century. Rzewski takes a catchy tune, a Chilean protest song, and pulls it apart in a multitude of ways, each subset of variations teasing the listener with increasingly remote references to the original melody. From time to time the effect verges on noise, only to be relieved by a lyrical or passionate return to harmony and tunefulness. As a set of variations, this piece deserves to be classed with the Diabelli Variations and Mendelssohn's equally outstanding Variations Serieuses.

While Oppens's performance of Rzewski's "The People United Will Never Be Defeated" was a justifiably famous landmark, doing full justice to the formidable challenge of bringing coherence to a work of such complexity, Marc Andre Hamelin offers something very special in this recording --- a transcendental technique in the original sense of Liszt's term, namely the ability to play difficult passages with such limpid clarity and evenness that the listener's attention is not diverted from the music by an awareness of effort.

The combination of Rzewski and Hamelin is irresistible and results in one of the most intense and rewarding listening experiences the piano aficionado can hope for. Hamelin's genius is that his technical virtuosity is never employed for empty display, always to thoughtfully package an insightful interpretation. Intellectually, he is as profound as Brendel, while physically having far greater resources at his disposal. He is a truly remarkable pianist, here playing a truly remarkable work. Having heard Oppens and Hamelin play these variations, each infusing the music with their distinctive personalities, there is only one other pianist whose treatment, were he ever to essay such, I would dearly like to hear --- Lang Lang, the Chinese pianist whose technique like Hamelin's is transcendental and whose innate musicality restrains youthful bravura so that delicacy and control become the features of his performances.

Everything that can be said has be said about Rzewki's 36 Variations on "The People United Shall Never be Defeated!". It is an amazing work that hopefully, and should, stand the test of time and go down as one of the true benchmarks in the classical opus. It is a ravashing series of variations, which are only more amazing when one comes to understand the underlying structure that Rzewski used as his formal blueprint. It is a work of pure genious that must be heard, as words cannot describe it or even begin to do it justice. From the determined mood of the opening theme through the final cadenza and conclusion, the listener is treated to an array of styles an statements (ranging from the blues, to impressions of Stockhausen's 'Klavierstucke X', and many many others) all inevitably leading back to the final declaration, and NEVER losing the spirit of the tune throughout.

This work provides American classical piano music with a companion book-end to Ives' Piano Sonata No. 2 "Concord, Mass 1840 - 1860" as truly great, and monumental (!!!), piano works which provide the classical community to the ultimate statements in music.

Marc-Andre Hamelin is a pianist who ventures towards the gigantic of the piano repertoire. With that being said, it should come as no suprise that he chose to record this great work (since he has also recorded Alkan, Ives' "Concord" Sonata, and ALL of Godowsky's 53 Studies on Chopin's Etudes). With that being said, it is oh so interesting to hear his reading of "The People United". It is so vastly different from Rzewski's own performance as Hammelin performs it with the classical virtuoso's touch and feel. He is much more straight forward with his pace and use of rubato, but the end result is fantastic. A high degree of determination and invitability can be felt in Mr. Hamelin's performance, which is very fitting of the mood of the original song. Also, there is no mistaking the healthy vitality which resonates through every note. Combining all of these elements creates a performance which is truly special.

Do not hesitate one second to purchase this album, as the combination of modern writing laced with classical sensibilities creates a truly unique musical experience that should not be missed.

This masterpiece is a political statement as well as a well-structured set of variaions on the par with the Goldberg and Diabelli Variations. The theme is very tonal, and Rzewski actually structures the variaions into keys, moving up a fifth each time. These variations are also eclectic. We hear echoes especially to La Folia and Dies Irae, two other themes that have been used for sets of variations. There are also very moderninstic techniques which never lose sight of the theme which never quite leaves you because it is so good. Hamelin is as always a master at this kind of knucklebusting music. Such a description befits the two pieces from the North American Ballads also. Down By the Riverside is given a folsky treatment which gets rather Ivesian later on. The last piece, the Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues brings out a tone poet as Rzewski uses tone clusters to describe the Cotton Gin machinery. The sound is some of the best I have heard from Hyperion in Hamelin's recordings!

There are at least two other recordings of 'The People United', one by the composer, one by the treasurable Ursula Oppens. Hamelin has his own thoughts on this breathtaking set of variations and is at the very least competitive with the others. In some respects it outshines them because of his superior technique. Rzewsi's version is a bit grungier; Oppens is a bit more cautious. Hamelin's brings out all the elements in his typical clean but singing manner. These are also the best recordings of the other two pieces.

This is a work of the utmost technical difficulty and yet Hamelin sails through it as if it were no more imposing than Hanon Exercises - and that is by no means to suggest that the playing is mechanical - far from. Every variation is treated to its own unique shadings and nuances that stand on their own as well as successfully integrating everything played before. The work radiates and contemplates. This work is truly a masterpiece . Add Hamelin and it is a meeting of two masters. Highly recommended. *****

This 'The people united will never be defeated!(El Pueblo Unido Jamas Sera Vencido!)' is not originally composed by Rzewski. This music is the song which was sung by Chileans who struggled to acquire liberty and right againt despotic Chilean government in 1960s. Rzewski borrowed this song and arrange it for the solo piano. You can listen to the theme of the song in 1st track, which is such a beautiful melody. He, then, made 36 variations with various techiques such as harmony, fugue, tonal way, atonal way, and so on. Even if you feel difficulties in some variations which are composed with atonal way, I'm sure, you would not abandon the disk which you listen to, because the variations are so beatiful and brilliant, and Hamelin's performance is so incredible! After 36th variation, you can listen to the main theme again, which is more solemn than first one. In conclusion, this music is orinally popular song leading listeners to a deep hollow which fascinate them with various classical composition techniques, and with Hamelin's wonderful performance. The people listen to it will never be disappointed!

Quick quiz: name the greatest 20th century American work for solo piano? Time's up! There's only one, unequivocal answer: Rzewsky's Variations on El Pueblo Unido. Within the boundaries of what we call classical music, only Copland has composed works of relative importance for solo piano: his Variations of 1930 and his Sonata of 1941. Other names that come to mind are Johh Cage--of course--for his works for prepared piano, the rags of Scott Joplin and some pieces by George Gershwin (I would recommend the Nonesuch CD with his piano rolls, vol. 1). This is all very odd and uneven company, but only Rzewsky's Variations come off as a singular achievement. The original theme is the most famous leftist propaganda anthem of Latin America: "The People United Shall Never Be Defeated" (that's the translation of the actual Spanish title). Rzewsky may have chosen this theme as a means to express his own political ideas, but the work itself is not ideological. How could it be? Those familiar with the original folk song (a live version is included by New Albion preceding Stephen Drury's performance of this work) know that Rzewsky's trancription of the main theme is very pianistic and much more expresive and beautiful than the original, which is vulgar in the way anthems are meant to be (when vulgar = populist). The hopeful piano theme is populist, but only in the sense that Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man is. The development of the theme in this long set of variations shows Rzewsky to be an incredibly inventive and resourceful composer. He extracts so much beauty out of the original theme that the listener forgets how thoroughly modern this work actually is. This is a beautiful work, it is a masterpiece, and no collector of contemporary music, American music or piano music or anyone should miss it (this last sentence was my one bit of uncensored propaganda). Peace to all.

This most certainly ranks among the greatest of works, even among the masterworks, not just for piano, of the century past, in which so many of us were born and first flourished. You don't need to be familiar with the country or the people in order to appreciate it, only in tune with the self-torture that occurs in wanting a better way of life, in the mentality that occupies captivity - be the source(s) internal or external. There are a few brief moments of what might be considered weird music, but don't let them fool you, this music never stops being interesting, concelebratory, and ravishing. Bravo, again (and again and again), Hamelin. No performance has yet to compare.

Hamelin is technically breath-taking in Rzewski's wide-ranging variations on a rather quirky tune. After exploring the boisterous politicality evident in that exclamation mark in the title, Rzewski ranges through more emotional landscapes than can well be counted, and Hamelin makes every one of them human, comfortable, a shared experience rather than a technical demonstration. The album demands to be played as a whole sequence, rather than random tracks, as variations evolve without borders and comment upon each other freely. Audio quality is superb--you suspect you could recognize the particular instrument he's playing if you heard it again. This recording made me go hunting for more Hamelins, like In a State of Jazz, and sets an incredibly high standard for them--and I haven't been disappointed yet!

I find it diffucult listening to this work. It certainly has entered the world piano repertoire, at least a dozen pianists play this work. Curious how I still prefer Rzewski himself. Perhaps it is his combustible energy and anarchistic tendencies,his innovative demaeanor sitting at the piano,where he can take off into a free improvisation at any moment. That's what makes his performance(s) special or compelling than the others. Oppens by comparison is rather timid and tenuous,even if overwhelmingly polished and correct as correct can be. Still politics is a dirty business, and music cannot be precious then or cloistered within some special aesthetic preserve. I think that is where we want it to be, for all of the pianists who play this work do so within bourgeois venues,with large ticket prices, hardly the place for working people, and hardly a place these various pianists would care to alter.( I don't see this work played at worker meetings,or fundraisers,or Socialist conventions) Pianists have careers you know,one devoted to making as much money as possible.

When this work graced the globe in the late Seventies it was indeed incredibly necessary. I guess it still is a necessary work,given the change post 9/11 in paradigm,added to the virutalizations and digitalizations of culture now.
Live music it seems and music played from sheet music in a public place, in and of itself is subversive within the neo-liberal order. What time does to music(if it wears it away or morphes its content) is curious to ponder. How much shelf-life is within any musical work irrespective of its content, context or affinity. I think Rzewski post-modern masterwork still has resonance within that context.

Great that Hamelin chose this work when he could have easily simply chosen another Sorabji or Finnissy work for contemplation.