Composition database

This is the Composition Database of BMC, which includes information about works by composers that are either Hungarian or Hungarian by origin or live in Hungary.

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Title of the work

Variazioni

Composer
Maros Miklós
Original / Hungarian title
Variazioni
Foreign language / English title
Variazioni
Subtitle
For piano
Year of composition
1984
Type
Instrumental solo
Number of players
1
Instrumentation
pf.
Duration
9 min
Movements, parts
One movement
Commissioned by
Rikskonserter
Premiere information
22 July 1986, Slottskapell, Drottningholms, Sweden; Jacob Moscovicz (pf.)
Publisher / Source
Swedish Music Information Centre © 1985, 122132
Available here!
Recordings
János Kéry
Remarks, other info
"Variazioni per pianoforte consists of eighteen variations on the most important building-blocks of the piece, viz. two chords: the one is built up of a pentatonic scale, the other of a lydian pentachord – they have one tone in common. Despite its form (and title) the work has only one movement, and it is hard to follow where the different variations begin and end, but this is also intentional. By means of different treatment of the original material, this is developed from simple lyrical melodies to dramatic chords, from stationary, static blocks to rhythmical, quick sections with clear profiles. Nor is the “theme“ presented in the beginning of the piece, but does not come until Variation No 8, as a consequence of a reduction after a more mobile section. The advantage of the pentatonic scale is that all its tones can be used as fundamentals. A simple inversion of the chord is therefore experienced as a new chord. This makes different harmonic functions possible without changing the scale. One example of this is the last reprise in the piece, which is in the subdominant. In other words, the basic material of the piece is very concentrated, but has a quite varied character in the different sections. These transformations from one character to the other make up the overall form of the piece." (Miklós Maros)