Many classical and later composers have written compositions in the form of
variations on a theme by another composer.
This is an incomplete list of such works, sorted by the name of the original composer. The list does not include variations written on composers' own or original themes, or on folk, traditional or anonymous melodies.
Many of these works are called simply "Variations on a Theme of/by ...". Other works, which often involve substantial development or transformation of the base material, may have more fanciful titles such as Caprice, Fantasy, Paraphrase, Reminiscences, Rhapsody, etc. These other types of treatments are not listed here unless there is evidence that they include variations on a theme.
Ronald Stevenson: Le Festin d'Alkan RSS 337 (piano; 1988–97). The third movement consists of multiple variations on themes by Alkan. The composer's note states "This work encapsulates my idea that composition, transcription and variation are all essentially the same thing".[1][2]
Camille Saint-Saëns: Variations on a Theme of Beethoven, Op. 35 (2 pianos; 1874; on the Trio from movement III, Menuetto, of
Piano Sonata No. 18, Op. 31/3)
Franz Schmidt: Concertante Variations on a Theme of Beethoven (piano left hand and orchestra; 1923)
Georg Schumann: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Beethoven, Op. 32 (2 pianos)[4]
Walter Braunfels: Phantastiche Erscheinungen eines Themas von Hector Berlioz ( Fantastic Appearances of a Theme by Berlioz), Op. 25, for symphony orchestra (1914–1917; the theme is the "Song of the Flea" from La damnation de Faust)
Walter Niemann: Variations on a Saraband by Johann Jacob Froberger, Op. 168 (piano; pub. 1948); the source is the Sarabande from Partita in A minor, FbWV 601
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: Variazioni sopra il Credo in qualsiasi modo del Gretchaninoff (the second movement of Sorabji's Opusculum clavisymphonicum vel claviorchestrale)
Alan Theisen: Variations on a Theme of Gretchaninov (2001; rev. 2005)
Antal Doráti,
Tibor Serly,
Ödön Pártos,
Géza Frid and
Sándor Veress: Variations on a Theme of Zoltán Kodály (orchestra; 1962); the work was a joint collaboration between Kodály's composition pupils, for his 80th birthday celebration. The theme is taken from Kodály's String Quartet No. 1, Op. 2.
Robert Schumann: the final section of the
Symphonic Studies, Op. 13, is a variation on the Romance "Du stolzes England freue dich" (Proud England, rejoice!), from Marschner's opera Der Templer und die Jüdin; the rest of the work is a set of variations and études on a theme by Baron von Fricken, a musical amateur (piano; 1834)
Franz Liszt: Grosses Konzertstück über Mendelssohns Lieder ohne Worte (Grand Concertpiece on Mendlessohn's Songs Without Words), S. 257 (2 pianos, 1834)[21]
Václav Trojan: Humorous Variations on the theme of the "Spring Song", Op. 62/6 (from Songs Without Words) (orchestra; 1936, revised 1971)
Louise Farrenc: Souvenir des Huguenots (Fantaisie et variations sur le célèbre choral de Luther, chanté dans Les Huguenots), Op. 19 (1836; arr. piano 4-hands, Op. 19 bis)[7]
Friedrich Kalkbrenner: Duo et variations sur des motifs de Robert le Diable, Op. 111
Franz Liszt: Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale 'Ad nos, ad salutarem undam', S.259 (organ): the adagio section includes a number of variations on the chorale theme, which is drawn from Meyerbeer's opera Le prophète.
Charles-Valentin Alkan: Fantaisie à 4 mains sur Don Juan (piano duet; 1844) - (Introduction, five variations on the aria from Don Giovanni "Venite par avanti", coda based on the aria "Finch' han del vino")
B. Tommy Andersson: Variations on a Theme of Mozart (2 violins; arr. for 2 violas; 1984)[23]
Joseph Horovitz: Variations on a Theme of Paganini (brass quartet; 1974)
Gary Kulesha: Variations on a Theme by Paganini (trumpet and piano; 1974, rev. 1982)
Lowell Liebermann: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for piano and orchestra (2001)
Franz Liszt:
Grandes études de Paganini No. 3 and No. 6 (piano; 1851), revised from the earlier Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini of 1838
Leo Brouwer: Variations on a Piazzolla Tango (guitar)
Carlos Stella: Hockney's Choclo: 10 variations, imitations and paraphrases on Piazzolla's arrangement of the tango 'El choclo' after a picture by
David Hockney (accordion, piano, violin, electric guitar and bass)
Jeremy Filsell: Wondrous Machine: Variations on a Theme of Purcell (narrator and organ)
Magnus Lindberg: Bright Cecilia: Variations on a Theme by Purcell (orchestra; 2002)
Walter Niemann: Kleine Variationen über eine alt-irische Volksweisen, Op. 146 (piano; 1936); in a footnote he acknowledges the theme is Lilliburlero [sic] by Purcell
Ronald Stevenson: Simple Variations on Purcell's "New Scotch Tune" (piano; 1964; set for clarinet and strings 1967; rev and enlarged 1975 as Little Jazz Variations on Purcell's "New Scotch Tune")
Rafał Stradomski: Purcell Variations (soprano saxophone or oboe and piano; 1997)
Variations sur un thème donné de Rimsky-Korsakov (4 voices)
Variations sur un chant donné de Rimsky-Korsakov (organ)
Variations sur un thème donné de Rimsky-Korsakov (string quartet)
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: "Il gallo d'oro" da Rimsky-Korsakov: variazioni frivole con una fuga anarchica, eretica e perversa (variations and fugue on a theme from Le Coq d'Or)[27]
David Lewin: Classical Variations on a Theme by Schönberg, for cello and piano
Luigi Nono: Variazioni canoniche sur la serie de l'opus 41 de Schönberg for orchestra (1950)
Viktor Ullmann: Variationen und Doppelfuge über ein Klavierstück von Arnold Schönberg (op. 19/4), Op. 3a (versions for piano; Geneva version with 5 variations 1929, Prague version with 9 variations 1933–34); as Variationen, Phantasie und Doppelfuge über ein kleines Klavierstück von A. Schönberg, Op. 3b (orchestra, 1933); Op. 3c (version for string quartet, 1939)
Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann in F-sharp minor, Op. 9 (piano solo; 1854)
Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op. 23 (1861; piano four-hands)
Vincenzo di Donato: Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann (viola or cello and piano; 1921)
Stephen Heller: Variations on a Theme of Schumann, Op. 142 (the theme is "Warum?", Op. 12/3, from Fantasiestucke)
Robert E. Jager: Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann (wind ensemble; 1968)
Maurice Ravel: Variations on a Theme of Schumann (piano; 1888; the theme was the Choral "Freu dich, o meine Seele" from
Album for the Young, Op. 68) (lost)
Clara Schumann: Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann, Op. 20 (1854)
Charles-Valentin Alkan: Variations on a Theme from Steibelt's "Orage" Concerto, Op. 1 (Note: This is the Piano Concerto No. 3 in E, subtitled "L'orage")
10 Variations on a folk song from Der Freischütz, Op. 48 (piano; 1822)
Variations on 6 Themes from Der Freischütz, Op. 49 (piano; 1822)
Variations on 3 Themes from Euryanthe, Op. 62 (piano: 1824)
6 Variations on Euryanthe, Op. 63 (flute and piano: 1824)
Felix Mendelssohn and
Ignaz Moscheles: Fantasy and Variations on the "Gypsy March" from La Preziosa (two pianos and orchestra; 1833; Moscheles later made an arrangement for two pianos alone, an arrangement that Mendelssohn barely recognised. Despite this, the work was often attributed to Mendelssohn alone.)
Robert Schumann: Variation zum Preziosamarsch (piano; unpub.)
Many classical and later composers have written compositions in the form of
variations on a theme by another composer.
This is an incomplete list of such works, sorted by the name of the original composer. The list does not include variations written on composers' own or original themes, or on folk, traditional or anonymous melodies.
Many of these works are called simply "Variations on a Theme of/by ...". Other works, which often involve substantial development or transformation of the base material, may have more fanciful titles such as Caprice, Fantasy, Paraphrase, Reminiscences, Rhapsody, etc. These other types of treatments are not listed here unless there is evidence that they include variations on a theme.
Ronald Stevenson: Le Festin d'Alkan RSS 337 (piano; 1988–97). The third movement consists of multiple variations on themes by Alkan. The composer's note states "This work encapsulates my idea that composition, transcription and variation are all essentially the same thing".[1][2]
Camille Saint-Saëns: Variations on a Theme of Beethoven, Op. 35 (2 pianos; 1874; on the Trio from movement III, Menuetto, of
Piano Sonata No. 18, Op. 31/3)
Franz Schmidt: Concertante Variations on a Theme of Beethoven (piano left hand and orchestra; 1923)
Georg Schumann: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Beethoven, Op. 32 (2 pianos)[4]
Walter Braunfels: Phantastiche Erscheinungen eines Themas von Hector Berlioz ( Fantastic Appearances of a Theme by Berlioz), Op. 25, for symphony orchestra (1914–1917; the theme is the "Song of the Flea" from La damnation de Faust)
Walter Niemann: Variations on a Saraband by Johann Jacob Froberger, Op. 168 (piano; pub. 1948); the source is the Sarabande from Partita in A minor, FbWV 601
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: Variazioni sopra il Credo in qualsiasi modo del Gretchaninoff (the second movement of Sorabji's Opusculum clavisymphonicum vel claviorchestrale)
Alan Theisen: Variations on a Theme of Gretchaninov (2001; rev. 2005)
Antal Doráti,
Tibor Serly,
Ödön Pártos,
Géza Frid and
Sándor Veress: Variations on a Theme of Zoltán Kodály (orchestra; 1962); the work was a joint collaboration between Kodály's composition pupils, for his 80th birthday celebration. The theme is taken from Kodály's String Quartet No. 1, Op. 2.
Robert Schumann: the final section of the
Symphonic Studies, Op. 13, is a variation on the Romance "Du stolzes England freue dich" (Proud England, rejoice!), from Marschner's opera Der Templer und die Jüdin; the rest of the work is a set of variations and études on a theme by Baron von Fricken, a musical amateur (piano; 1834)
Franz Liszt: Grosses Konzertstück über Mendelssohns Lieder ohne Worte (Grand Concertpiece on Mendlessohn's Songs Without Words), S. 257 (2 pianos, 1834)[21]
Václav Trojan: Humorous Variations on the theme of the "Spring Song", Op. 62/6 (from Songs Without Words) (orchestra; 1936, revised 1971)
Louise Farrenc: Souvenir des Huguenots (Fantaisie et variations sur le célèbre choral de Luther, chanté dans Les Huguenots), Op. 19 (1836; arr. piano 4-hands, Op. 19 bis)[7]
Friedrich Kalkbrenner: Duo et variations sur des motifs de Robert le Diable, Op. 111
Franz Liszt: Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale 'Ad nos, ad salutarem undam', S.259 (organ): the adagio section includes a number of variations on the chorale theme, which is drawn from Meyerbeer's opera Le prophète.
Charles-Valentin Alkan: Fantaisie à 4 mains sur Don Juan (piano duet; 1844) - (Introduction, five variations on the aria from Don Giovanni "Venite par avanti", coda based on the aria "Finch' han del vino")
B. Tommy Andersson: Variations on a Theme of Mozart (2 violins; arr. for 2 violas; 1984)[23]
Joseph Horovitz: Variations on a Theme of Paganini (brass quartet; 1974)
Gary Kulesha: Variations on a Theme by Paganini (trumpet and piano; 1974, rev. 1982)
Lowell Liebermann: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for piano and orchestra (2001)
Franz Liszt:
Grandes études de Paganini No. 3 and No. 6 (piano; 1851), revised from the earlier Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini of 1838
Leo Brouwer: Variations on a Piazzolla Tango (guitar)
Carlos Stella: Hockney's Choclo: 10 variations, imitations and paraphrases on Piazzolla's arrangement of the tango 'El choclo' after a picture by
David Hockney (accordion, piano, violin, electric guitar and bass)
Jeremy Filsell: Wondrous Machine: Variations on a Theme of Purcell (narrator and organ)
Magnus Lindberg: Bright Cecilia: Variations on a Theme by Purcell (orchestra; 2002)
Walter Niemann: Kleine Variationen über eine alt-irische Volksweisen, Op. 146 (piano; 1936); in a footnote he acknowledges the theme is Lilliburlero [sic] by Purcell
Ronald Stevenson: Simple Variations on Purcell's "New Scotch Tune" (piano; 1964; set for clarinet and strings 1967; rev and enlarged 1975 as Little Jazz Variations on Purcell's "New Scotch Tune")
Rafał Stradomski: Purcell Variations (soprano saxophone or oboe and piano; 1997)
Variations sur un thème donné de Rimsky-Korsakov (4 voices)
Variations sur un chant donné de Rimsky-Korsakov (organ)
Variations sur un thème donné de Rimsky-Korsakov (string quartet)
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: "Il gallo d'oro" da Rimsky-Korsakov: variazioni frivole con una fuga anarchica, eretica e perversa (variations and fugue on a theme from Le Coq d'Or)[27]
David Lewin: Classical Variations on a Theme by Schönberg, for cello and piano
Luigi Nono: Variazioni canoniche sur la serie de l'opus 41 de Schönberg for orchestra (1950)
Viktor Ullmann: Variationen und Doppelfuge über ein Klavierstück von Arnold Schönberg (op. 19/4), Op. 3a (versions for piano; Geneva version with 5 variations 1929, Prague version with 9 variations 1933–34); as Variationen, Phantasie und Doppelfuge über ein kleines Klavierstück von A. Schönberg, Op. 3b (orchestra, 1933); Op. 3c (version for string quartet, 1939)
Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann in F-sharp minor, Op. 9 (piano solo; 1854)
Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op. 23 (1861; piano four-hands)
Vincenzo di Donato: Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann (viola or cello and piano; 1921)
Stephen Heller: Variations on a Theme of Schumann, Op. 142 (the theme is "Warum?", Op. 12/3, from Fantasiestucke)
Robert E. Jager: Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann (wind ensemble; 1968)
Maurice Ravel: Variations on a Theme of Schumann (piano; 1888; the theme was the Choral "Freu dich, o meine Seele" from
Album for the Young, Op. 68) (lost)
Clara Schumann: Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann, Op. 20 (1854)
Charles-Valentin Alkan: Variations on a Theme from Steibelt's "Orage" Concerto, Op. 1 (Note: This is the Piano Concerto No. 3 in E, subtitled "L'orage")
10 Variations on a folk song from Der Freischütz, Op. 48 (piano; 1822)
Variations on 6 Themes from Der Freischütz, Op. 49 (piano; 1822)
Variations on 3 Themes from Euryanthe, Op. 62 (piano: 1824)
6 Variations on Euryanthe, Op. 63 (flute and piano: 1824)
Felix Mendelssohn and
Ignaz Moscheles: Fantasy and Variations on the "Gypsy March" from La Preziosa (two pianos and orchestra; 1833; Moscheles later made an arrangement for two pianos alone, an arrangement that Mendelssohn barely recognised. Despite this, the work was often attributed to Mendelssohn alone.)
Robert Schumann: Variation zum Preziosamarsch (piano; unpub.)