Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Rachmaninoff)

Updated on Dec 04, 2023

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Not to be confused with works of the same title by Federico Mompou, Ferruccio Busoni, or Roger Smalley.

Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Russian: Вариации на тему Ф. Шопена, Variatsii na temu F. Shopena), Op. 22, is a group of 22 variations on Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C minor (Op. 28, No. 20), composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff in 1902-03. In the first edition, it is noted that 3 of the variations and the final Presto section can be omitted if the performer wishes.

Variations

Theme: Largo, 9 bars

I: Moderato (66 bpm), 8 bars

II: Allegro (122 bpm), 8 bars

III: 132bpm, 8 bars

IV: 132 bpm, 24 bars of 3/4

V: Meno mosso (92 bpm), 8 bars

VI: Meno mosso (64 bpm), 12 bars of 6/4

VII: Allegro (120 bpm), 8 bars (Note: This variation may be omitted)

VIII: 120 bpm, 8 bars

IX: 120 bpm, 8 bars

X: Più vivo (144 bpm), 14 bars (Note: This variation may be omitted)

XI: Lento (44 bpm), 14 bars of 12/8

XII: Moderato (60 bpm), 32 bars (Note: This variation may be omitted)

XIII: Largo (52 bpm), 16 bars

XIV: Moderato (72 bpm), 24 bars of 4/4 then one bar of 2/4.

XV: Allegro scherzando (132 bpm), 45 bars of 12/8 in F minor.

XVI: Lento (54 bpm), 14 bars in F minor.

XVII: Grave (46 bpm), 18 bars of 3/4 in B♭ minor.

XVIII: Più mosso, 12 bars in B♭ minor.

XIX: Allegro vivace, 35 bars in A major.

XX: Presto (92 dotted minims per minute): 108 bars of 3/4 in A major and C-sharp minor.

XXI: Andante (60 dotted crotchets per minute): 24 bars in D♭ major followed by 29 bars of 3/4 in C major marked Più vivo (100 bpm).

XXII: Maestoso (100 bpm) 82 bars of 3/4 in C major. Then 9 bars marked Meno mosso. Finally, 19 bars marked Presto. (Note: These final 19 bars may be omitted)

References

Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Rachmaninoff) Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA