Variations (album)
Encyclopedia
Variations is a Classical
/Rock
fusion album by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
and younger brother Julian Lloyd Webber
were always very close, but their two different careers (a rock musical composer
and a classical
cellist) meant that a collaboration seemed unlikely. It wasn't until Julian beat his brother in a bet on a Leyton Orient
football match that Andrew was forced to write his cello work.
As his subject, Andrew chose the theme of Paganini's 24th caprice and added 23 variations for cello
and rock band
. The work premiered at the 1977 Sydmonton Festival
with rock band Colosseum II
, featuring Gary Moore
, Jon Hiseman
and Don Airey
being joined by Barbara Thompson (Sax, Flute), Rod Argent
, (Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboards) and Julian Lloyd Webber
(Cello). It was subsequently rearranged and recorded in 1978. It reached number 2 in the album charts.
and David Cullen
made an arrangement of the work for cello and orchestra
. The opening and closing variations have been rewritten for cello and piano
, the latter of which Julian often uses as an encore
, due to its amusing glissando
down to Bottom A (forcing a mid piece retune) to conclude.
The opening theme is used as the theme to The South Bank Show
and Variation 5 became Unexpected Song with lyrics by Don Black. Variation 18 is an instrumental version of the title song from the first Rice/Webber musical The Likes of Us
.
Orchestral Version
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
/Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
fusion album by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
and younger brother Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
were always very close, but their two different careers (a rock musical composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and a classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
cellist) meant that a collaboration seemed unlikely. It wasn't until Julian beat his brother in a bet on a Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
football match that Andrew was forced to write his cello work.
As his subject, Andrew chose the theme of Paganini's 24th caprice and added 23 variations for cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
. The work premiered at the 1977 Sydmonton Festival
Sydmonton Festival
The Sydmonton Festival is a summer arts festival presented in a deconsecrated 16th century chapel on the grounds of Sydmonton Court, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Hampshire estate...
with rock band Colosseum II
Colosseum II
Colosseum II was a British band formed in 1975 by the former Colosseum drummer and leader, Jon Hiseman, following the 1974 demise of his band Tempest. Hiseman announced his plan to form the band eventually named Colosseum II in November 1974, but only Gary Moore was named. Rehearsals were due to...
, featuring Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
, Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman is an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer and music publisher.-Career:...
and Don Airey
Don Airey
Donald Airey has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord...
being joined by Barbara Thompson (Sax, Flute), Rod Argent
Rod Argent
Rod Argent is an English rock musician and a founding member of the 1960s English pop group The Zombies and the 1970s band Argent....
, (Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboards) and Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
(Cello). It was subsequently rearranged and recorded in 1978. It reached number 2 in the album charts.
Adaptions
The work was used in Song and DanceSong and Dance
Song and Dance is a musical comprising two acts, one told entirely in "Song" and one entirely in "Dance", tied together by a love story.The first part is Tell Me On A Sunday, with lyrics by Don Black and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, about a young British woman's romantic misadventures in New York...
and David Cullen
David Cullen
David Cullen is a former basketball player who currently assists the organisation Crossover Basketball with its work in Northern Ireland...
made an arrangement of the work for cello and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. The opening and closing variations have been rewritten for cello and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, the latter of which Julian often uses as an encore
Encore (concert)
An encore is an additional performance added to the end of a concert, from the French "encore", which means "again", "some more"; multiple encores are not uncommon. Encores originated spontaneously, when audiences would continue to applaud and demand additional performance from the artist after the...
, due to its amusing glissando
Glissando
In music, a glissando is a glide from one pitch to another. It is an Italianized musical term derived from the French glisser, to glide. In some contexts it is distinguished from the continuous portamento...
down to Bottom A (forcing a mid piece retune) to conclude.
The opening theme is used as the theme to The South Bank Show
The South Bank Show
The South Bank Show was a television arts magazine show, originally made by London Weekend Television , presented by Melvyn Bragg, broadcast on ITV and seen in over 60 countries worldwide — including Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States...
and Variation 5 became Unexpected Song with lyrics by Don Black. Variation 18 is an instrumental version of the title song from the first Rice/Webber musical The Likes of Us
The Likes of Us
The Likes of Us is a musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The original book was by Leslie Thomas. It is based on the true story of Thomas John Barnardo, a philanthropist who founded homes for destitute children...
.
Track listing
- Introduction
- Theme (Paganini Caprice in A minor No. 24) and Variations 1-4
- Variations 5 and 6
- Variation 7
- Variation 8
- Variation 9
- Variation 10
- Variations 11-15 (including the Tributes)
- Variation 16
- Variations 13-14 Varied (listed as 14-15)
- Variation 17
- Variation 18
- Variations 19, 20 and 5 Varied (listed as 6)
- Variations 21 and 22
- Variation 23
Performers
Original Rock Version- Don AireyDon AireyDonald Airey has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord...
- Grand Piano, ARP Odyssey, Minimoog, Solina String Ensemble, Fender Rhodes Piano - Rod ArgentRod ArgentRod Argent is an English rock musician and a founding member of the 1960s English pop group The Zombies and the 1970s band Argent....
- Grand Piano, Minimog, Roland RS-202, Yamaha CS-80 - Gary MooreGary MooreRobert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
- Gibson Les Paul, Rickenbacker electric 12 string Guitar, Guild acoustic, Fender Stratocaster - Barbara Thompson - Flute, Alto Flute, Alto & Tenor Saxophone
- Jon HisemanJon HisemanJon Hiseman is an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer and music publisher.-Career:...
- Arbiter Auto-Tune drums, Paiste cymbals & gongs, Percussion - John MoleJohn MoleJohn Mole was an English bass guitar player.Mole was born in Stratford, London. A member of Jon Hiseman's reformed Colosseum II, he went on to work with fellow band members Gary Moore and Don Airey...
- Fender Precision Bass, Hayman fretless bass guitar - Julian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
- cello - Additional Performers: Dave Caddick, Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
, Herbie FlowersHerbie FlowersHerbie Flowers is an English musician specialising in bass guitar, double-bass and tuba. He is noted as a member of Blue Mink, T...
, Bill Le SageBill Le SageBill Le Sage, born William A. Le Sage, born London - died , London, was a British pianist, vibraphonist, arranger, composer and bandleader. His credits include the score for the 1960 film The Tell-Tale Heart....
, Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Orchestral Version
- Julian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
(cello). - Lorin MaazelLorin MaazelLorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
(conductor) - London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic OrchestraThe London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
.
See also
- Caprice No. 24 (Paganini)
- Rhapsody on a Theme of PaganiniRhapsody on a Theme of PaganiniThe Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in A minor, Op. 43 is a concertante work written by Sergei Rachmaninoff. It is written for solo piano and symphony orchestra, closely resembling a piano concerto. The work was written at Villa Senar, according to the score, from July 3 to August 18, 1934...
- Cricket (musical)Cricket (musical)Cricket, also called Cricket , is a short musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It was commissioned for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday celebration, and was first performed at Windsor Castle on 18 June 1986....