Themes and Variations

While Mozart’s Twinkle Variations, Brahm’s Saint Anthony Variations, Arthur Pryor’s Blue Bells of Scotland Variations, and my own Variations of Frere Jacques are all excellent transcriptions there are certain stylistic, melodic and harmonic differences that make each successful in their own respect.

Blue Bells of Scotland is a Scottish folk song. The theme and variations piece I found was composed by Arthur Pryor in 1899 for trombone solo and piano accompaniment. The accompaniment piano part has harmony solely with arpeggiated and scalar motion. The few occasions the pianist plays melody is when introducing a new section while the trombonist rests. An example of this is at the very beginning, prior to the trombone playing a cadenza-like introduction, where a section of the theme is played for the first time. After the cadenza-like trombone introduction, the piece then introduces the familiar and beloved theme, played at Adante tempo with careful attention paid to the phrasing. It then transitions into the Allegro section which is the beginning of the variations. Variation 1 involves triplets and emphasizes the difference between staccato and slurred tonguing. Variation 2 involves syncopated sixteenth-eighth note rhythms. There is then another cadenza that demonstrates the performer’s range and flexibility. A leap from a trombone’s high “C” to a pedal “A” is inked into the score. The finale is marked at vivace tempo and requires advanced double tonguing and legato techniques to perform a tempo. It concludes with four extra cadential bars that go V-V-I-I and has a concrete ending as he resolves on a perfect authentic cadence for the first time in the piece. The sheer speed and volume of notes limits this piece to elite professional trombone players. Famous trombonists Joseph Alessi and Christian Lindberg have done recordings of this challenging musical literature. Pryor uses all 16-measure parallel periods and stays in F major to make the variations as recognizable as possible while still making a considerable amount of ornamentations to each movement.

“Ah Vaus Dirai-je Maman” is a French folk song written by Marcus Bouin, in Paris, without words in 1761. Twenty years later, in1781, Mozart composed the theme and 12 variations. We are familiar with this melody as the English nursery rhymes “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and “The Alphabet Song” all of which share an identical tune. He composed this in C major and in the 2/4 time signature. Following the traditional arrangement of the theme, Variation 1 introduces sixteenth note runs in the right hand and Variation 2 introduces sixteenth note runs in the left hand. Both variations are played in a legato style. Variation 3 has perpetual triplet motion in the right hand whereas Variation 4 has perpetual triplet motion in the left hand. Similarly to Variation 1 of Blue Bells of Scotland, there is careful attention paid to slurs and staccato attacks in Mozart’s 3rd and 4th variations. Variation 5 exploits hocket, a style in which multiple voices interlock to create a composite melody, creating an erratic and choppy feel to the music. Variation 6 utilizes sixteenth note exchange between the bass and soprano parts. This is done to avoid voice crossing so parts avoid registral confusion and remain feeling independent of one another (an important concept every musician learns early on in two-part counterpointJ). Variation 7 uses scales in the right hand and sets of 3 sixteenth notes moving by leap to offset the solid quarter note bass line played with the left hand. Variation 8 is the first example of both a contrasting period, the eight bar phrases “A” and “B” aren’t similar in structure but complement one another, and a minor variation. It adds three flats and goes to the parallel minor scale. It seems to me that it is march-like and it is almost like it transitions from a stanza to the trio section, giving the period its contrasting characteristic. Variation 9 goes back to C major and is also very staccato and march-like stylistically. As illustrated in Variation 10, there is a quarter note melody played in the left hand while more rhythmic sixteenth-note rests are on the downbeat followed by three leaping sixteenth notes in the right hand, similar to Variation 7. Variation 11 changes to a slower adagio tempo and uses a sustained dominant pedal to interrupt the parallel period creating the impression of expansion and elaboration on top of the simple melody. The last variation is the Finale, which has trills in the melodic line, perpetual sixteenth note runs in both hands, and uses an augmented extension (using F#) to interrupt the two phrases of the parallel period. This is by far more complex and of the variations and wraps up Mozart’s work well in an exciting upbeat manner.

Frere Jacques in a French nursery melody dating back to the 17th century. My composition of the theme and variations is in D major. The theme is sung while the root, third and fifth of the harmonic triad are repeated throughout by the trombone, the viola and the piano respectively. Variation 1 is a 4-part Cannon starting with the right hand of the piano, and then adding the left hand of the piano, the viola and the trombone every two measures. It ends in a fermata. Frere Jacques is often played as a round so inclusion of this variation felt necessary. Variation 2 was composed in a March style with a virtuosic viola harmony. It utilizes each voice playing a different part of the enhanced melody at different times. Variation 3 suddenly changes to adaggieto style where quarter note is 80 beats per minute. It emphasizes the drastic contrast with the past movement by also including tenuto attacks. This variation features an elaborated melody and complete triads in the piano part. There is another fermata before Variation 4, which starts in d minor and uses a modulating period to transition into “A” major for the last two measures. It uses double neighbor tones in eighth note runs to foreshadow that this is leading up to something, the something being the change of key. Variation 5 is solely in “A” major, sounding like the basic melody raised a perfect fifth/dominant, and resolves with a cadential 6-4 to a cadential 5-3 to scale degree I. Variation 6 is modal, using the key of D Dorian, and has 4 extra measures of a cadential ending. Throughout the duration of the Finale, the Viola is in constant 8th note arpeggiated motion. A slight ritardando is used to signal that the end is near and the cadential extension sums up the piece nicely by utilizing the D Dorian scale.

St. Anthony Variations was composed by Johannes Brahms in the summer of 1873 in Bavaria, Germany. However, it is based off of an Italian chorale. The opening introduces the St. Anthony theme with oboes, bassoons, horns and strings all included in the instrumentation. The first variation, Poco piu animato, immediately involves us in something much more: various sections of the orchestra play pulsing notes in the chords of the theme, while two contrapuntal moving triplet parts play against them. This is but a taste of what's to come throughout the piece, as Brahms systematically changes everything but the essential structure of the theme in each variation. The second variation, Piu vivace, changes the key to minor, syncopates the rhythm in a dotted eighth sixteenth note pattern, and gives us an insistent, dance-like ballad movement. There are 10 measure phrases used throughout the duration of this piece and every fifth measure there is an ostinato that repeats a common pattern. This is most likely used to keep dancers in step with the melody. The following movement, Con moto, has a steady, ever-flowing version of the theme weaving back and forth between sections of the orchestra and individual instruments. It is peaceful and always moving forward. Variation four, Andante con moto, transforms the theme into a haunting minor melody over broad, slow lower strings and winds. It is dolce and semplice and the minor key signature is what truly makes it feel sad. The fifth variation, Vivace, presents an energetic scherzo somewhat reminiscent of Brahms's hero Beethoven that segues immediately into a regal, brassy second Vivace that utilizes the marcato attacks of the horns to truly express the royalty of the movement. Variation seven, Grazioso, is a gentle Siciliano, a slow 6/8 or 12/8 form associated in Brahms's day with pastoral scenes and romantic melancholy. The Presto non troppo of the last variation is a bit of sleight of hand: quickly moving parts almost manage to hide the theme in their winding melodies, with the pedal points spread out over six octaves. But it is in the long Finale that Brahms demonstrates his prowess. For this section is in the form of a Baroque passacaglia, with a five bar basso ostinato sounding the theme under an ever-changing series of 17 variations that transform through a series of harmonic and rhythmic enhancements to end in a triumphant coda and restatement of the Chorali St. Antoni. Without a doubt, Brahms proved that he could handle recreating a melody freely and create something altogether new.

So as you can see, each composer’s work is successful due to different reasons. Pryor arranges the movements in increasing difficulty as if building to a climax, Mozart primarily sticks to one alteration of the melody per variation leading to distinct and separate styles, and Brahm alters everything but the essential structure of the theme creating maximum drama as if he is telling a story with a progressing plot and character development. I created maximum drama in mine by putting contrasting movements in sequence to one another and leading into key signature changes to tease at the audience and then finally give them what they expected.

Mozart may be criticized because his variations may seem disjointed due to one specific alteration in each variation rather than a mixture of embellishments that may connect the music more effectively. I can see why this may be a concern, but Mozart makes the work easy to follow along with, and his variations are aligned in such a manner that makes sense. Variation 1 through 4 all deal with simple rhythmic alterations, Variation 5 and 6 are concerned with the alternation of melody between voices, Variation 7 introduces a leaping motion he later finishes in Variation 10, Variation 8 and 9 are march-like, Variation 10 is the calming before the storm and Variation 12 is quite literally the strong and frenzied tempest that culminates Mozart’s masterpiece. So although he uses simple ornamentations in each variation the combined piece is very cleverly and adeptly composed.

Pryor might be criticized because there are only several variations but once you see the complexity of these variations you will understand that if any more were included brass players wouldn’t have the chops to get through the piece or time to prepare the piece in any reasonable time frame.

Brahm might be criticized because he changes the theme so drastically throughout the duration of his entire composition. But you have to admit the variations range from serene and lovely to exhilarating to majestic and it is an incredible composition. It does include the same bass chord structure so it is still variation of St. Anthony but he goes beyond simple ornamentations and creates a whole new atmosphere and world for us to escape to. It may not be the traditional theme and variations piece but it is unique and incredible in its own way.

Many of the elements of the three compositions inspired my own composition. I liked how Mozart put an adagio variation before his finale so I put an adagietto style variation before my variation with the quickest tempo. The transition between Variation 3 and Variation 4 is now full of contrast and helps keep the music interesting to listeners. I also liked how Brahm transitioned from variation to variation making it feel like one connected piece so I attempted to connect the minor variation to the dominant variation as well through building ascending quarter notes right up to the perfect fifth. I believe I was successful in creating continuity here, learning from one of the best in Brahm. I also liked how Mozart incorporated a march-styled variation into his piece so Variation 3 of my composition tried to mimic his. I learned that if compositions from several hundred years ago are still popular and around today, then there are definitely aspects of each that make them successful and there are qualities in each that one should attempt to duplicate/ build upon in their own work!