Beethoven: Diabelli Variations

A longtime member of the internationally acclaimed Anagnoson & Kinton Piano Duo, Leslie Kinton makes his solo recording debut with Beethoven: Diabelli Variations. Centred on a landmark work in the piano repertoire, the album explores Beethoven's remarkable ability to transform a simple theme into a vast and imaginative musical journey. In 1819, composer and publisher Anton Diabelli sent a short waltz theme to leading composers of the day, inviting each to contribute a variation for a planned published volume. Beethoven initially dismissed the theme as a 'cobbler's patch,' but eventually responded not with a single variation but with an entire set of thirty-three. The result is a kaleidoscopic work, at once witty, virtuosic, profound, and deeply inventive, often regarded as one of the greatest sets of piano variations ever written.Toronto-born pianist Leslie Kinton has built a distinguished career as a performer, scholar, and educator. As a member of the Anagnoson & Kinton Piano Duo, he has performed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, appeared with major orchestras across Canada, and recorded nine albums. The duo is heard regularly on CBC Radio and has been broadcast internationally on the BBC, NPR, Czech Radio, Hilversum Radio, Hong Kong Radio, and Radio Suisse Romande. In 2019, Anagnoson & Kinton were named Honorary Fellows of The Royal Conservatory of Music, the organization's highest distinction. He studied piano with Pierre Souvairan, Jeaneane Dowis, and Karl Ulrich Schnabel, composition with Samuel Dolin, and holds a Ph.D. in music theory from the University of Toronto. Kinton is Professor of Piano Performance at the University of Western Ontario.