Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) Variations on an Original Theme Op. 21/1 and a Hungarian Song Op. 21/2
Urtext based on the Brahms Complete Edition of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna edited by Eusebius Mandyczewski [pno]
24 pages | 23 x 30,5 cm | 127 g | ISMN: 979-0-004-16549-2 | Softcover
The story of the origins of the Variations op. 21 is typical on the whole for the evolution of a composition by Brahms from inception to printing status. Brahms wrote the pieces in 1853/54 (Variations on a Hungarian Song) and 1857 (Variations on an Original Theme). Then he sought the advice of his friend Joseph Joachim, who suggested that Brahms put the Hungarian Variations aside “for a while.” It was not until July 1861 – and perhaps after comprehensive revisions – that Brahms sent both variation cycles to his publisher Simrock.
| op. 21/1 | 1. Theme: Poco larghetto, poco forte, molto espressivo e legato |
| op. 21/1 | 2. Variation I: Molto piano e legato |
| op. 21/1 | 3. Variation II: Più moto, espressivo |
| op. 21/1 | 4. Variation III: Dolce |
| op. 21/1 | 5. Variation IV: Dolce |
| op. 21/1 | 6. Variation V: Tempo di tema, Canone in moto contrario, molto dolce, teneramente |
| op. 21/1 | 7. Variation VI: Più moto, espressivo, legato |
| op. 21/1 | 8. Variation VII: Andante con moto, dolce |
| op. 21/1 | 9. Variation VIII: Allegro non troppo |
| op. 21/1 | 10. Variation IX |
| op. 21/1 | 11. Variation X: Espressivo agitato |
| op. 21/1 | 12. Variation XI: Tempo di tema, poco più lento, dolce |
| op. 21/2 | 13. Theme: Allegro |
| op. 21/2 | 14. Variation I |
| op. 21/2 | 15. Variation II |
| op. 21/2 | 16. Variation III |
| op. 21/2 | 17. Variation IV |
| op. 21/2 | 18. Variation V: Con espressione |
| op. 21/2 | 19. Variation VI |
| op. 21/2 | 20. Variation VII: Poco più lento, dolce espressivo. Quasi pizzicato |
| op. 21/2 | 21. Variation VIII: Ancora un poco più lento. Espressivo, dolce |
| op. 21/2 | 22. Variation IX: Dolce |
| op. 21/2 | 23. Variation X: Legato, dolce |
| op. 21/2 | 24. Variation XI: Dolce |
| op. 21/2 | 25. Variation XII: Espressivo |
| op. 21/2 | 26. Variation XIII: Con forza - Allegro (il doppio Movimento) - Tempo I più animato |