Symphonic Variations (Franck)
Encyclopedia
The Symphonic Variations (Variations symphoniques), M. 46, is a work for piano and orchestra, written in 1885 by César Franck
. It has been described as "one of Franck's tightest and most finished works", "a superb blending of piano and orchestra", and "a flawless work and as near perfection as a human composer can hope to get in a work of this nature". It is a fine example of Franck's use of cyclic unity
, with one theme growing into various others. The piano and orchestra share equally in the continuous evolution of ideas. It takes about 15 minutes to play.
The work was dedicated to Louis Diémer
, who had premiered Franck's Les Djinns on 15 March 1885; the symphonic poem for piano and orchestra had brought Franck one of the rare critical successes of his career. He promised to reward Diémer with "a little something", and the similarly-scored Symphonic Variations were the result, later that year. Franck started work in the summer, and completed the piece on 12 December 1885. The Variations are scored for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, four horns, trumpets, timpani, strings and solo piano.
The premiere of the work, on 1 May 1886, at the annual orchestral concert of the Société Nationale de Musique, went almost unnoticed. The soloist was Diémer, and the composer conducted. Its second performance was not until 30 January 1887, at an all-Franck concert under the conductor Jules Pasdeloup, with Diémer again as soloist. It still failed to impress. Before and after Franck's death, however, his works were championed by his pupils Vincent d'Indy
, Henri Duparc, Paul Dukas
, Ernest Chausson
and others, and the Symphonic Variations soon entered the repertoire of major pianists. It was mainly through the Symphony in D minor
and the Symphonic Variations that Franck became posthumously famous. The work is now regularly performed, has become one of Franck's best known works, and has been recorded many times. It was later arranged for two pianos, four hands.
While there is no doubt that it demonstrates Franck's mastery of variation
form, the overall structure of the Symphonic Variations has been a matter of debate. Donald Tovey
called it "a finely and freely-organised fantasy, with an important episode in variation form". It consists of three broad sections, played without a break: introduction; theme and variations; and finale. These sections resemble the fast-slow-fast layout of a three-movement concerto. The main theme is announced by the piano, at the end of the introduction. Then the variations follow, and the work ends with a brilliant finale in F-sharp major (the home key of the overall work is F-sharp minor). The number of variations is also debated – the count ranges from six to fifteen. The finale is a mini-movement in itself, complete with first and second themes, development and recapitulation. The themes in all three sections of the work are variations on the melody announced by the piano at the start of the piece, but the variations proper occupy only the central third of the work.
The theme of the introduction has reminded many commentators of the theme of the slow movement of Beethoven
's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G
.
In 1946, Frederick Ashton
choreographed a ballet (Symphonic Variations) to the music.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
's Fantasia (quasi variazione) on the Old 104th Psalm Tune for piano, chorus, and orchestra (1949) has some similarities to Franck's work, but it lacks Franck's adherence to classical variation form.
César Franck
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
. It has been described as "one of Franck's tightest and most finished works", "a superb blending of piano and orchestra", and "a flawless work and as near perfection as a human composer can hope to get in a work of this nature". It is a fine example of Franck's use of cyclic unity
Cyclic form
Cyclic form is a technique of musical construction, involving multiple sections or movements, in which a theme, melody, or thematic material occurs in more than one movement as a unifying device. Sometimes a theme may occur at the beginning and end Cyclic form is a technique of musical...
, with one theme growing into various others. The piano and orchestra share equally in the continuous evolution of ideas. It takes about 15 minutes to play.
The work was dedicated to Louis Diémer
Louis Diémer
Louis-Joseph Diémer was a French pianist and composer.- Life :Diémer studied at the Paris Conservatoire, winning premiers prix in piano, harmony and accompaniment, counterpoint and fugue, and solfège, and a second prix in organ...
, who had premiered Franck's Les Djinns on 15 March 1885; the symphonic poem for piano and orchestra had brought Franck one of the rare critical successes of his career. He promised to reward Diémer with "a little something", and the similarly-scored Symphonic Variations were the result, later that year. Franck started work in the summer, and completed the piece on 12 December 1885. The Variations are scored for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, four horns, trumpets, timpani, strings and solo piano.
The premiere of the work, on 1 May 1886, at the annual orchestral concert of the Société Nationale de Musique, went almost unnoticed. The soloist was Diémer, and the composer conducted. Its second performance was not until 30 January 1887, at an all-Franck concert under the conductor Jules Pasdeloup, with Diémer again as soloist. It still failed to impress. Before and after Franck's death, however, his works were championed by his pupils Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy was a French composer and teacher.-Life:Paul Marie Théodore Vincent d'Indy was born in Paris into an aristocratic family of royalist and Catholic persuasion. He had piano lessons from an early age from his paternal grandmother, who passed him on to Antoine François Marmontel and...
, Henri Duparc, Paul Dukas
Paul Dukas
Paul Abraham Dukas was a French composer, critic, scholar and teacher. A studious man, of retiring personality, he was intensely self-critical, and he abandoned and destroyed many of his compositions...
, Ernest Chausson
Ernest Chausson
Amédée-Ernest Chausson was a French romantic composer who died just as his career was beginning to flourish.-Life:Ernest Chausson was born in Paris into a prosperous bourgeois family...
and others, and the Symphonic Variations soon entered the repertoire of major pianists. It was mainly through the Symphony in D minor
Symphony in D minor (Franck)
The Symphony in D minor is the most famous orchestral work and the only symphony written by the 19th-century Belgian composer César Franck. After two years of work, the symphony was completed 22 August 1888. It was premiered at the Paris Conservatory on 17 February 1889 under the direction of ...
and the Symphonic Variations that Franck became posthumously famous. The work is now regularly performed, has become one of Franck's best known works, and has been recorded many times. It was later arranged for two pianos, four hands.
While there is no doubt that it demonstrates Franck's mastery of variation
Variation (music)
In music, variation is a formal technique where material is repeated in an altered form. The changes may involve harmony, melody, counterpoint, rhythm, timbre, orchestration or any combination of these.-Variation form:...
form, the overall structure of the Symphonic Variations has been a matter of debate. Donald Tovey
Donald Francis Tovey
Sir Donald Francis Tovey was a British musical analyst, musicologist, writer on music, composer, conductor and pianist...
called it "a finely and freely-organised fantasy, with an important episode in variation form". It consists of three broad sections, played without a break: introduction; theme and variations; and finale. These sections resemble the fast-slow-fast layout of a three-movement concerto. The main theme is announced by the piano, at the end of the introduction. Then the variations follow, and the work ends with a brilliant finale in F-sharp major (the home key of the overall work is F-sharp minor). The number of variations is also debated – the count ranges from six to fifteen. The finale is a mini-movement in itself, complete with first and second themes, development and recapitulation. The themes in all three sections of the work are variations on the melody announced by the piano at the start of the piece, but the variations proper occupy only the central third of the work.
The theme of the introduction has reminded many commentators of the theme of the slow movement of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G
Piano Concerto No. 4 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58, was composed in 1805–1806, although no autograph copy survives.-Musical forces and movements:...
.
In 1946, Frederick Ashton
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
choreographed a ballet (Symphonic Variations) to the music.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
's Fantasia (quasi variazione) on the Old 104th Psalm Tune for piano, chorus, and orchestra (1949) has some similarities to Franck's work, but it lacks Franck's adherence to classical variation form.