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- Witold Lutosławski
Variations on a Theme by Paganini [Wariacje ne temat Paganiniego] (1978)
- Chester Music Ltd (Worldwide except Poland, Albania, Bulgaria, China, countries of former Czechoslovakia, Croatia, former territories of Yugoslavia, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, Romania, Hungary and countries of former USSR)
Chester Music is the publisher of this work in all territories except Poland, Albania, Bulgaria, China, countries of the former Czechoslovakia, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, Romania, Hungary and the whole territory of the former USSR, where the copyright is held by Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne (PWM).
- 2(pic).2+ca.2.2(cbn)/4331/timp.3perc/hp/str
- piano
- 6 min
- 15th February 2025, Great Hall University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
- 26th April 2025, Robinson Fine Arts Center, Plano, TX, United States of America
Programme Note
During the German occupation of Poland, Andrezj Panufnik and I played unofficial concerts of two-piano music in Warsaw. This was the origin of these Variations which we first performed in 1941. As a basis I took Paganini’s 24th Caprice for solo violin and my Variations follow closely his model. In each Variation I translate the violin line for keyboard. Polyharmony often occurs between the two keyboards but tonality remains a clear force with frequent traditional dominant-tonic cadences.
In 1977, I was asked by the pianist Felicja Blumental for a composition and revised these Variations as a Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. It expands the piano-duo piece by repeating each section (apart from the theme itself and Variations 10 and 11) with the soloist and orchestra exchanging roles for the second playing of each Variation. Otherwise there is very little change in the musical substance. Blumental gave the first performance of the new version in Miami on 18 November 1979 with Brian Priestman conducting the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra.
© Witold Lutoslawski
In 1977, I was asked by the pianist Felicja Blumental for a composition and revised these Variations as a Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. It expands the piano-duo piece by repeating each section (apart from the theme itself and Variations 10 and 11) with the soloist and orchestra exchanging roles for the second playing of each Variation. Otherwise there is very little change in the musical substance. Blumental gave the first performance of the new version in Miami on 18 November 1979 with Brian Priestman conducting the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra.
© Witold Lutoslawski
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