# Variations from the 20th and 21st centuries



## Janspe (Nov 10, 2012)

Hello all,

I've been exploring the genre of variations recently - and it certainly is a form that really interests me! But here's the thing: most of the pieces I'm familiar with come from the 18th and 19th centuries. Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert ... There are indeed many great composers who wrote variations. But now I'm interested to hear some examples from the 20th and especially from the 21st century. I'm of course familiar with many well-known works, like Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini or Bartók's second violin concerto that implements variations so cleverly - but I'd love to hear more!

Trusting the impeccable musical taste of the TC community, I thought that maybe I could get some interesting recommendations from you guys. The instrumental forces involved don't matter, anything will do.  So if you have a favourite variation work that you feel should be more well-known, now's your chance!


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

A few fine, mostly rather well-known examples - albeit mostly early 20th century:

- Respighi: Metamorphoseon, for orchestra (Simon´s chandos recording recommended)
- Langgaard: Symphony no.6
- Walton: Hindemith Variations, for orchestra
- Britten: Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, for orchestra
- Britten: Diversions, for piano & orchestra
- Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra
- Stravinsky: Variations, for orchestra (a fascinating work IMO)

- Bax: Symphonic Variations for Piano & Orchestra

- Nielsen: Theme & Variations, for piano
- Reger: Bach-Variations, for piano

- Ruders: Paganini-Variations, for guitar or piano & orchestra


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

From the very beginning of XXth century (1903), beautiful Variations in B minor by Szymanowski:


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2015)

Rzewski's variations are pretty much the most famous contemporary example.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated!
Lutoslawski: Variations on a theme of Paganini


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Some more not yet mentioned:

Britten - Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell (_A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra_
Denisov - Variations on a Theme by Handel
Dohnányi - Variations on a Nursery Theme
Gershwin - Variations on _I Got Rhythm_
Hindemith - Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber
Lutosławski - Variations on a Theme by Paganini
Messiaen - Thème et variations, for violin and piano
Reger - Variations and Fugue on a theme of Beethoven
Reger - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart
Reich - Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards
Rózsa - Theme, Variations and Finale
Sculthorpe - Beethoven Variations
Simpson - String Quartet No 9 (32 Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Haydn)
Stravinsky - Variations: Aldous Huxley in Memoriam
Tippett - Divertimento on _Sellinger's Round_
Vaughan Williams - Variants on _Dives and Lazarus_
Webern - Variations for Piano, Op 27
Webern - Variaitons for Orchestra, Op 30


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Passacaglia was a popular variation form throughout the 20th century. Shostakovich, Britten … in fact, just go find the TC threads on passacaglia, plug the results in here, and you will double your number of pieces quickly.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I suppose Elgar's Enigma Variations missed the 20th century by just a year or two.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Elliott Carter's Variations For Orchestra


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Kodaly: Variations on The Peacock
Boris Blacher: Variations on a Theme of Paganini (Yes, _that_ theme)
Tippett: Variations on a Theme of Handel
Vaughan Williams: Finale of Fifth Symphony
Britten: Young Person's Guide


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## LHB (Nov 1, 2015)




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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Boulez seconded! Carter seconded! Ruders seconded! And anyone who doesn't know the Schoenberg is missing out on an orchestral warhorse, it's a staple in the repertoire of orchestral variations.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Passacaglias were mentioned earlier, Britten and Shostakovich. The 3rd movement Passacaglia from DSCH's 1st Violin Concerto is searing. Great music in any age. Has nobility, sacrifice and sadness ever been so aptly described? And by such a seemingly cynical man...


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

It would also probably be good to know that the whole idea of _variation_ in itself became the defining point in a lot of music by Steve Reich, but in different ways to the more 'typical' variations as a preexisting _form_ in classical music. Slight variation in tempo created his phase compositions; a piece like Clapping Music is pure rhythmic displacement focussing on the division of a single rhythmic motif; there are many more interesting examples of variation within his magnificently varied oeuvre!


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## worov (Oct 12, 2012)

Ginastera :


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Ahh, yes a good one that slipped my mind.


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

Larry Polansky: Lonesome Road (The Crawford Variations). 1988-9. for Solo piano
set of variations on Ruth Crawford's harmonic setting of an American folksong





Larry Polansky: Another You (17 variations for solo harp in just intonation). 1979-80.
variations on Harry Warren's _There Will Never Be Another You_


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## Hmmbug (Jun 16, 2014)

George Crumb - Eine Kleine Mitternachtmusik
Johnny Greenwood - 48 Responses to Polymorphia
Gubaidulina - Chaconne

Just a few off the top of my head that I don't think were mentioned yet.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Rachmaninoff: Corelli Variations.


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## Janspe (Nov 10, 2012)

Wow, so many suggestions! Thanks a lot - I'll have to make a list and start listening. I'll report back to you once I've gone through all the works.


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