Your Favourite Theme-and-Variations

[Opus106]

As I listen to one of my favourites, Schubert's D. 810/II, I wonder what your favourites are. I generally tend to like theme and variations wherever I come across them.

As such there are no restrictions to list your favourites... this is neither a top-N list nor a game, just a repository of current favourites and perhaps some new directions for exploration for myself (and, I'm sure, others). Your favourite could be a movement or a stand-alone work. I would appreciate it you could also add what you like about them and perhaps the highlights within them.

Let's start: recently, during a live performance of Mozart's K. 421, I realised how much his last movement (another favourite) reminded me of the Schubert. Both, to me, have this wonderful singing quality.

[Karl Henning]

Several keen faves, actually. Among them:

The second movement of the Prokofiev Second Symphony.

Bach's canonic variations on « Vom Himmel hoch »

The Marcia funebre in the Sinfonia eroica, natch.

And it seems obvious, but: Britten's Young Person's Guide . . . .

[BobsterLobster]

Apart from the Goldberg Variations? I absolutely adore this CD:

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which jumped into my head way before any 'normal' classical variations!

[Opus106]

We've a great start, thanks; let's keep it rolling.

Apart from the Goldberg Variations?

I don't think the GV classifies as 'theme and variations'. I could be utterly wrong, of course, but I've heard that it's something else (the bass line?) being varied, and I don't know if that counts as a 'theme'. Please feel free to correct me.

[ibanezmonster]

Easy- Brahms' Paganini Variations.
Also have been listening to the wonderful Corelli Variations by Rachmaninoff the last few months (Santiago Rodriguez).

Both have the same type of nighttime vibe that seems to have originated in Beethoven.

[springrite]

One of my favorite is Lutoslawski's Paganini Variations for two pianos!

[Opus106]

Easy- Brahms' Paganini Variations.
Also have been listening to the wonderful Corelli Variations by Rachmaninoff the last few months (Santiago Rodriguez).

Interestingly, I've heard the Paganini variations by Rach (who hasn't?), but not these two.

[Karl Henning]

Also have been listening to the wonderful Corelli Variations by Rachmaninoff the last few months (Santiago Rodriguez).

Cool piece, Greg!

[ibanezmonster]

Interestingly, I've heard the Paganini variations by Rach (who hasn't?), but not these two.

You need to listen to them both- now!   
Preferably at the same time so you don't waste any extra seconds of your life going without listening to them.

[BobsterLobster]

We've a great start, thanks; let's keep it rolling.

I don't think the GV classifies as 'theme and variations'. I could be utterly wrong, of course, but I've heard that it's something else (the bass line?) being varied, and I don't know if that counts as a 'theme'. Please feel free to correct me.

OK, quite a few opinions here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldberg_Variations

Not variations, but a chaconne... the 1st aria is actually 1st variation, etc. But it seems like nitpicking to me!


About the Rachmaninov Corelli Variations... I am a massive Rachmaninov fan, he's my favourite composer... but I really don't get on with the Corelli Variations, they bore me to tears. However, I do think they work very well in an orchestrated version on this CD:

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[Opus106]

You need to listen to them both- now!   
Preferably at the same time so you don't waste any extra seconds of your life going without listening to them.

But I was planning on some Szymanowski before hitting the hay. Tomorrow, definitely; I promise you!

[DieNacht]

In general I often find "Theme & Variations"-works a bit too restless, but the mentioned Rach Corelli- and Paganini variations are enjoyable, likewise Bax´s "Symphonic Variations" for piano and orchestra, to mention some on top of my head ... Nielsen´s "Theme with Variations" for piano is also a fine little work ...

EDIT: Elgar´s "Enigma" of course, Liszt´s "Totentanz", Britten´s "Diversions" and Langgaard´s 6th Symphony also come to mind ...

[TheGSMoeller]

I don't think the GV classifies as 'theme and variations'. I could be utterly wrong, of course, but I've heard that it's something else (the bass line?) being varied, and I don't know if that counts as a 'theme'. Please feel free to correct me.

I'm not sure either, but it would be a top choice for me if it is.
Others...

Britten: Young Person's guide to the Orchestra
Haydn: Symphony No. 31 "Hornsignal" - Mvt. IV: Finale Moderato molto

Another one I'm not sure that counts, but many composers have done their variations on La Folia, the theme itself is really just a chord progression in 16 bars, but Vivaldi, C.P.E. Bach, Geminiani and Marais are some of my favorites.

[jowcol]

May not fit the precise defintion, but the Bach Passacaglia and Fugue, and the Vitaly Chaconne are big with me.   And any of the variations of La Folia. 

(BTW- the website includes a mind-boggling array of different takes on "La Folia"-- including Sitar and industrial
http://www.folia.tk/)

[Christo]

Several. A few that pop up immediately:

Ottorino Respighi, Metamorphoseon modi XII, Tema e Variazioni per orchestra (1930)
Hendrik Andriessen, Variaties en fuga op een thema van Johann Kuhnau (1935)
Benjamin Britten, Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge (1937)
Hendrik Andriessen, Variaties op een thema van Couperin (1944)
Joly Braga Santos, Variações sinfónicas sobre um tema alentejano (1951) 
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Fantasia: Variazioni senza Tema, first movement from Symphony No. 8 (1953)
Alberto Ginastera, Variaciones concertantes (1961 or so)

[Karl Henning]

Joly Braga Santos, Variações sinfónicas sobre um tema alentejano (1951) 
Alberto Ginastera, Variaciones concertantes (1961 or so)

(* bate na mesa *)

[Taxes-]

Rzewski! The People United Will Never Be Defeated

and the Schoenberg and Carter Variations for Orchestra

[Christo]

(* bate na mesa *)

Slög ok op toafl.  (Low Saxon) 

[Sequentia]

I will try to stick to works which clearly fit the "theme and variations" category:

Bach – Goldberg Variations

Beethoven – Diabelli Variations

Rzewski – The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

Sorabji – Sequentia cyclica

[Conor71]

Elgar - Enigma Variations  0:)