I have already admired Idil Biret's Brahms series in earlier reviews, and this disc also earns praise. The music here is relatively unfamiliar, and although there are a handful of recordings of the two sets of variations, Julius Katchen's performances from the 1960s are the only ones by a major pianist. As for the Five Studies, these disparate pieces dating from various periods don't figure in the current catalogue at all.
The two variation sets share one opus number, but were not conceived together; they date respectively from 1857 and 1853 (i.e. the first is the later) and for some reason were not performed until 1868 and 1874. Biret brings poise as well as warmth to the Variations on an Original Theme, and though this lyrical music could sing more passionately, I like the chaste quality that she imparts and she holds everything together with affection and conviction. Though the forceful music after the halfway mark has plenty of energy, her Brahms is never fiery in an unbridled way (he was too much of a dour Hamburger for that), but nor does he become diminished or dryly intellectual. These are performances that I would be happy to live with, while recognizing that others may prefer the more projected pianism of an Argerich or Ashkenazy.
The shorter Variations on a Hungarian Song have a chunky, vigorous theme in septuple time (3/4 plus 4/4), which imposes its character on the first eight variations. This work and its companion may not represent Brahms at his very finest, but yield in quality only to his undisputed masterpieces and deserve to be played more often. The Studies are fascinatingly based on other composers' music: No. 5, lasting nearly 18 minutes, is a version for left hand only of Bach's D minor Chaconne for solo violin. The recording, made in Heidelberg's Clara Wieck Auditorium, has space and character, lacking only the rich glow that would make it outstanding.'