Now that’s how you begin a CD!

CD 60 opens with a frenetic little composition called “Presto in C minor Wo052.”

Lots of trills, lots of crashing chords, lots of runs. Then a mellower middle part that gives way to the super-busy theme that opened the piece.

I like it.

The pianist on this works and variations CD is Georg Friedrich Schenck. The music was recorded in late December, 2006. Schenck’s piano has a bright sound, almost a little too tinny for my tastes. But he’s obviously accomplished.

And oh-so-nimble fingered. Because the second track (“Allegretto in C Hess 69”) doesn’t let up on the speed. If anything, it ratchets up the tempo a notch.

Here’s a little about Georg from his entry on Wikipedia:

Georg Friedrich Schenck was born in Aachen Germany in 1953. Graduating from Hanover Music College (student of Bernhard Ebert), he took masterclasses with Claudio Arrau, and then was a student of the American pianist Andre Watts for many years.

Most of these Beethoven compositions are lively.

Very short, too.

There are 44 works for piano on this CD. I won’t list all their names.

Track #11 (“Fantasia in G minor Op. 27”) is a remarkable little tune. Kind of strange. Almost avant-garde. Dreamy. Fascinating. Plus, because it’s one of the longer pieces of music, I have time to enjoy it before it’s gone.

Track #15 (“Variation 2” on “a March of Dressler”) is also quite entertaining with all of its busy fingers and bright-sounding notes mostly in the upper register.

Most of these works and variations aren’t memorable, and aren’t even that entertaining as they’re playing.

So I seriously doubt I’ll listen to this CD again, with the exception (possibly) of the pieces listed above.