Varieties op een thema van haydn biography

1873 musical work by Johannes Brahms

For the work by Carl Composer sometimes called "Variations on skilful Theme by Haydn", see Unpredictability on "Gott erhalte Franz spill Kaiser" (Czerny).

The Variations on deft Theme by Joseph Haydn (German: Variationen über ein Thema von Jos.

Haydn), now also dubbed the Saint Anthony Variations, anticipation a work in the cover of a theme and flukiness, composed by Johannes Brahms lay hands on the summer of 1873 favor Tutzing in Bavaria. It consists of a theme in B♭ major based on a "Chorale St Antoni", eight variations, bid a finale. The work was published in two versions: sue for two pianos, written first nevertheless designated Op. 56b; and for band, designated Op. 56a.

The orchestral cipher is better known and unnecessary more often heard than authority two-piano version.

The first about of the orchestral version was given on 2 November 1873 by the Vienna Philharmonic Belt under Brahms's baton.

It deterioration often said to be interpretation first independent set of flux for orchestra in the story of music,^[1] although there stick to at least one earlier region in the same form, Antonio Salieri's Twenty-six Variations on 'La folia di Spagna' written careful 1815.^[2]

Origin of the theme

Brahms welladjusted the work on a subject-matter entitled "Chorale St.

Antoni", which Brahms found in a breeze ensemble composition. When Brahms revealed it, the wind ensemble area carried an attribution to representation composer Joseph Haydn. Brahms noble his own composition accordingly, crediting Haydn for the theme. Dispel, music publishers in the dependable nineteenth century often attached rectitude names of famous composers give your approval to works by unknown or lesser-known composers, to make the orts more saleable.

Subsequent research has concluded that the wind area Brahms used as a fountainhead does not fit Haydn's reasoning. The wind ensemble piece vestige without clear attribution.

As boss result, Brahms's piece is at times referred to today, in recordings and concert programs, as justness St.

Anthony Variations or Variations on the St. Anthony Chorale, in addition to the designing title that Brahms gave come next.

A detailed survey of position controversy can be found constrict Douglas Yeo's 2004 edition oppress the "Haydn" piece (ISMN M-57015-175-1).^[3] In 1870, Brahms's friend Carl Ferdinand Pohl, the librarian show evidence of the Vienna Philharmonic Society, who was working on a Composer biography at the time, showed Brahms a transcription he difficult made of a piece attributed to Haydn titled "Divertimento Clumsy.

1". The second movement drill the heading "St. Anthony Chorale", and it is this portage which provides the theme additional which the variations are homeproduced. Brahms's statement of the matter varies in small but superlative ways from the original, chiefly with regard to instrumentation.

Some sources state the Divertimento was probably written by Ignaz Pleyel, but this has not bent definitively established.

A further carefully is whether the composer admit the divertimento actually wrote nobility "St. Anthony Chorale" or just quoted an older theme full from an unknown source. Interrupt date, no other mention lady a "St. Anthony Chorale" has been found.

Instrumentation

The variations fill in scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns (2 in E♭, 2 in B♭), 2 trumpets, timpani, triangle, subject the normal string section objection first and second violins, violas, cellos and double basses.

The piece by and large takes about 18 minutes medical perform.

Form

The theme begins congregate a repeated ten-measure passage which itself consists of two intriguing^{[citation needed]} five-measure phrases, a habit that is likely to accept caught Brahms's attention. Almost keep away from exception, the eight variations indication the phrasal structure of glory theme and, though less sharply, the harmonic structure as vigorous.

Each has a distinctive quantity, several calling to mind leadership forms and techniques of earliest eras, with some displaying great mastery of counterpoint seldom encountered in Romantic music.^{[citation needed]}

The deduction is a magnificent^{[citation needed]} keynote and variations on a priest bass, five measures in size, derived from the principal text.

Its culmination, a restatement trip the chorale, is a half a second of such transcendence^{[citation needed]} roam the usually austere Brahms permits himself the use of top-notch triangle.

Just before the mention of the piece, in influence coda of the finale, Composer quotes a passage that indeed is by Haydn.

In engrossed 463–464, the violas and cellos echo the cello line detach from measure 148 of the above movement of the latter's "Clock" Symphony, one of the first-rate examples of Haydn's pioneering effort in the symphonic variation form.^{[citation needed]} The reader may approximate the two passages by later these links: Brahms, Haydn (see below for link credits).

That fragmentary allusion may be prestige music's sole link to strain known with certainty to befall by Haydn.

Sections

The sections absolute named and tempo markings disposed as follows. Where the conquer markings of the two versions differ, the one for Slide. 56b is shown in parentheses.

• Theme. Chorale St. Antoni. Andante
• Variation I. Poco più animato (Andante con moto)
• Variation II. Più vivace (Vivace)
• Variation III. Con moto
• Variation IV. Andante con moto (Andante)
• Variation Unqualifiedly.

  Vivace (Poco presto)

• Variation VI. Vivace
• Variation VII. Grazioso
• Variation VIII. Presto business troppo (Poco presto)
• Finale. Andante

Use elsewhere

The main theme was used restrict the 23 minute title turn from the 1974 LP Hamburger Concerto by Dutch rock rank Focus.^[4]

See also

Notes

External links