Variation (music)

Variation is a part of a composition, called the changes a topic melodic, harmonic, rhythmic or dynamic. A series of successive variations constitutes a " set of variations ", a " set of variations " ( within about one Sonata ) or even a " series of variations ".

Description

In general, two types of variations can be distinguished:

  • The older type, in which the upper parts vary over a basso ostinato, developed in the late Renaissance music, and expressed itself in the forms of Chaconne (or Ciacona ) and Passacaglia.
  • The classic type, in which first the issue is presented and all variations then represent short single sentences, established himself in the Baroque and has since been readily embraced by most composers.

In music, there are different variations. Can be changed tempo, dynamics, articulation, intonation, scale type, melody, rhythm, accompaniment, harmony and timbre. Resulting variation types are, for example:

  • Figuralvariation, also called ornamental variation: the subject is draped with musical figures.
  • Ostinato variation: the subject is preserved as a bass voice.
  • Cantus firmus variation: the issue occurs as a cantus firmus.
  • Minore variation: the scale type is changed in a minor key.
  • Majors variation: the scale type is changed in the major.
  • Character Variation: The variation distance furthest from the subject, changing its character by changing the Tongeschlechts ( major-minor ) or rhythm.

Chapter 22 of the novel " Doctor Faustus " by Thomas Mann brings, starting from the " Philosophy of New Music " by Adorno, the idea of genuinely archaic musical form of variation. See Jürg Bauer's " Archaic variations " of 1997 ( see below).

Known Variation Works (selection)

For orchestra

  • Variations on a Theme by Haydn Op.56a (1874 ) by Johannes Brahms
  • Symphonic Variations, Op 77 (1877 ) by Antonín Dvořák
  • Enigma Variations (1899 ) by Edward Elgar
  • Hiller Variations (1907 ) and Mozart Variations (1914 ) by Max Reger
  • Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1919) by Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • Variations for Orchestra, op.31 ( 1926-1928 ) by Arnold Schoenberg
  • Boléro (1928 ) by Maurice Ravel
  • Metamorphoseon modes XII ( 1930) by Ottorino Respighi
  • The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra ( 1946) by Benjamin Britten
  • Paganinivariationen (1947 ) by Boris Blacher

For solo instrument ( s) and Orchestra

  • Rococo Variations for cello and orchestra (1877 ) by Peter Tchaikovsky
  • Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra ( 1885) by César Franck
  • Don Quixote, Fantastic Variations on a Theme of Knightly Character, Op 35 (1897 ) for cello, viola and orchestra by Richard Strauss
  • Variations on a Nursery Song ( Morning Comes Santa Claus ) for piano and orchestra (1914 ) Op 25 by Ernst von Dohnanyi
  • Variations on I Got Rhythm for Piano and Orchestra ( 1934) by George Gershwin
  • Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for Piano and Orchestra ( 1934) by Sergei Rachmaninov
  • Paganinivariationen for Piano and Orchestra by Witold Lutoslawski (1941 /78 also original version for 2 pianos )

For Keyboard

  • Variations on " My young life has an end ' " by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck organ version, 5.79 MB? / I
  • Variations on the "harmonious blacksmith " from Suite No. 5 HWV 430 ( 1720) by Georg Friedrich Händel
  • " Goldberg Variations " (1741 ) by Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Andante with Variations in F minor Hob XVII / 6 ( 1793) by Joseph Haydn
  • Symphonic Etudes (1834 ) by Robert Schumann
  • Variations sérieuses (1842 ) by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
  • La Campanella ( 1851) and Variations on Weeping, Lamenting, Fearing, Hesitating (1862 /3), piano and organ version by Franz Liszt
  • Variations on a Theme by Handel, Op 24 (1862 ) and " Variations on a Theme of Paganini ( two rows ), Op 35 (1866 ) " by Johannes Brahms
  • Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op 22 (1903 ) by Sergei Rachmaninov
  • Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Johann Sebastian Bach, Op 81 (1904 ) by Max Reger
  • Variations and Fugue on a theme of Georg Philipp Telemann, Op 134 (1914) by Max Reger
  • Variations on a Theme from Carmen (~ 1920) by Vladimir Horowitz
  • Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op 42 (1931 ) by Sergei Rachmaninov
  • Variations for Piano Op. 27, ( 1935-1936 ), in three sets by Anton Webern
  • Variations on a Recitative for Organ, Op 40 ( D ) ( 1941) by Arnold Schoenberg
  • The People United Will Never Be Defeated, variation 36 (1975 ) Frederic Rzewski

For other solo instruments

  • Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 for solo violin BWV 1004 by Johann Sebastian Bach with arrangements for piano by Johannes Brahms and Ferruccio Busoni

For Voices

  • " Zefiro torna " by Claudio Monteverdi ( Chaconne, ninth book of madrigals, SV 251)
  • "It stand on God " by Heinrich Schütz ( SWV 356, final part, quoted / competes with Monteverdi's " Zefiro torna " )
Baroque music Major and minor Don Quixote (Strauss) Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Eroica Variations 32 Variations in C minor (Beethoven) Diabelli Variations
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