Dictionary of Music - Birding America

428 theorboEXAMPLES OF THEME AND VARIATIONSComposer Composition DateJohann Sebastian Bach Goldberg Variations (from Clavierübung, Part 4) for harpsichord pub. 1742Ludwig van Beethoven Diabelli Variations, op. 120, for piano 1823Eroica Variations in E-flat major, op. 35, for piano 1802Johannes Brahms Variations on a Theme by Handel, op. 24, for piano 1861Variations on a Theme by Paganini, op. 35, for piano 1863Variations on a Theme by Haydn, for two pianos (op. 56a) or orchestra comp. 1873(op. 56b)Elliott Carter Variations for Orchestra 1955Ernst von Dohnányi Variations on a Nursery Song, for piano and orchestra 1916Edward Elgar On an Original Theme (Enigma Variations), op. 36, for orchestra 1899César Franck Variations symphoniques (“Symphonic Variations”) for piano and orchestra 1886George Frideric Handel “The Harmonious Blacksmith” (from Suite des pièces) for harpsichord 1720Paul Hindemith The Four Temperaments, for piano and strings 1944Vincent d’Indy Istar Variations, op. 42, for orchestra 1897Zoltán Kodály Variations on a Hungarian Folksong (Peacock Variations) for orchestra 1939Franz Listz Variations on Bach’s prelude, Weinen, Klagen (“Weep, Mourn”), for piano 1862Witold Lutoslawski Variations symphoniques (“Symphonic Variations”) for orchestra 1939Felix Mendelssohn Variations concertantes, op. 17, for cello and piano 1829Variations sérieuses, op. 54, for piano 1841Variations in E-flat, op. 82 1841Variations in B-flat, op. 83 1841Arnold Schoenberg Variations for Orchestra, op. 31 1928Theme and Variations, op. 43, for band 1943Variations on a Recitative, op. 40, for organ 1941Franz Schubert Introduction and Variations, op. 160, for flute and piano 1824Variations in E minor on a French Air, op. 10, for piano 1818Variations in C minor on a Diabelli Waltz, for piano 1821Robert Schumann Variations on A–B–E–G–G (Abegg Variations), op. 1, for piano 1830Études symphoniques (“Symphonic Etudes”), op. 13, for piano 1834Anton Webern Variations for piano, op. 27 1936Variations for Orchestra, op. 30 1940Charles Wuorinen Piano Variations 1963Variations for bassoon, harp, and timpani 1972Mozart, and Beethoven often included a theme-andvariationsmovement in their sonatas, quartets, andsymphonies, and Beethoven in particular wrotenumerous independent pieces in this form. Exceptfor Chopin, nearly all the great nineteenth-centurykeyboard composers—especially Schubert, Schumann,Liszt, Brahms—wrote sets of variations forpiano, and the form continued to interest twentiethcenturycomposers. The accompanying chart listssome of the best-known examples of theme and variationsin independent compositions.theorbo (thē ôr′bō). A bass lute that began to bemade sometime between 1550 and 1600 and wasplayed until about 1800. It was used almost exclusivelyto provide the bass accompaniment for songsand the basso continuo (see CONTINUO) in baroqueinstrumental music. Its strings were so long that its