Excellent closing recital by Horacio Lavandera at the Sarmiento Palace

Martha Cora Eliseht

March 29th is the 88th day of the year, and for this reason, International Piano Day is celebrated, coinciding with the 88 keys of the instrument. On this occasion, the Domingo F. Sarmiento Palace Cultural Center organized various concerts and recitals by top-level performers as part of the “PIANO SOUNDS 2026” Festival, which took place on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of this month in different areas of the aforementioned cultural center (Plaza Seca, Hall of Honor, National Auditorium, and Argentina Hall). A variety of musical genres and repertoire were performed, including tango, folk, rock, chamber, classical, and contemporary music. In any festival, the closing concert is the most important, and therefore it had to be performed by an internationally renowned pianist: none other than Horacio Lavandera, who gave a recital at the National Auditorium last Sunday, the 29th of this month, consisting solely of works by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), detailed below:

Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5
Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24
Sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39
Four Pieces for Piano, Op. 119

Upon entering the stage, the pianist received a standing ovation. Afterward, he addressed the audience, using a microphone to announce the works and offer brief commentary so that the audience could understand the context in which they were composed. He opened the recital with an early work: Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5, composed in 1853 when he was only 20 years old to gain the approval of Robert Schumann, his mentor and teacher. The last of his three piano sonatas is dedicated to Countess Ida von Hohenthal and integrates the free Romantic spirit with Classical structure, as he was a great admirer of Beethoven. Its approximate duration is 40 minutes, and it has five movements instead of the traditional four: Allegro maestoso (F minor) / Andante espressivo (A-flat major) / Scherzo: Allegro energico con trio (F minor/D-flat major) / Intermezzo: Rückblick- Régard en arrière- Andante molto (B-flat minor) and Finale: Allegro moderato ma rubato (F minor). In this work, Brahms showcased his mastery, impeccable technique, and a supremely romantic, subtle, and exquisite interpretation, already displaying the characteristics that define his music: solemn, martial, and romantic.

The Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24, were composed in 1861 as a birthday gift for Clara Wieck Schumann, who premiered them that same year in Hamburg. It consists of a main theme – the Aria from the First Suite in B-flat major for harpsichord, HWV 434, composed by Handel in 1733 – 25 variations, and a four-voice fugue. To perform these, Brahms undertook a careful study of Baroque models and counterpoint techniques. Therefore, he included forms from the period such as a siciliana, a musette, a canon, and a fugue. All are of the same duration except for the fugue, which is much longer and provides the climax of the work in terms of complexity and contrapuntal dynamics. Structurally, the variations in major and minor keys alternate more or less with each other, and those played legato are followed by those played staccato. There is a gradual increase in intensity throughout the work, reaching a peak between variations 13 and 15, and then building to a crescendo from variation 23 onward, culminating in the powerful four-voice fugue whose theme derives from the beginning of Handel’s theme, but is masterfully developed through counterpoint. It was a sublime and powerful interpretation of such a complex work, prompting the National Auditorium to rise unanimously to applaud and cheer the pianist after a memorable performance.

Next, Horacio Lavandera performed none other than the Sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39, in the difficult version for solo piano, as an easier version also exists. Originally composed between 1865 and 1866 for piano four hands as a tribute to the Viennese waltz, these pieces were originally composed between 1865 and 1866 as a tribute to the Viennese waltz. Later, Brahms wrote two versions for solo piano: an easy one and a difficult one, which is the one performed in this recital. Each piece lasts between one and a half and two minutes and is part of the repertoire of the world’s most prestigious pianists. However, only a few are performed in piano recitals; in particular, Waltz No. 15 in A major (A-flat major in the difficult version for solo piano and for two pianos), which enjoys immense popularity and is a favorite with audiences. In this instance, Horacio Lavandera played them in their entirety, exploring the composer’s typical romantic subtleties and nuances with great precision, showcasing his passionate temperament. The audience erupted in applause toward the end, earning him another ovation.

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