Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky (Arensky) explained

Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a, a piece for string orchestra by Anton Arensky, started out as the slow movement of his String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35, for the unusual scoring of violin, viola, and 2 cellos. It was written in 1894, the year after the death of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, in a tribute to that composer.^[1] It is based on the theme from the song "Legend", the fifth of Tchaikovsky's Sixteen Children's Songs, Op. 54.^[2]

Tchaikovsky's song was originally set to a Russian translation by Aleksey Pleshcheyev of a poem in English called "Roses and Thorns" by the American poet Richard Henry Stoddard.^{[3] [4]}

At the first performance of the quartet, the slow movement was so well received that Arensky soon arranged it as a separate piece for string orchestra, Op. 35a, in which form it has remained among the most popular of all Arensky's works.^{[1] [3]}

Structure

After Tchaikovsky's theme is heard, the piece has seven Variations followed by a Coda, set out as follows (mostly in the key of E minor):^[1]

• Theme, Moderato
• Variation I, Un poco più mosso -
• Variation II, Allegro non troppo - Starting with a sudden chord, the theme is heard in the lower strings.
• Variation III, Andantino tranquillo - Now in E major, the theme is taken up by the first violins.
  • Variation IV, Vivace - This is a lively movement dominated by the offbeat pizzicato Variation V, Andante
• Variation VI, Allegro con spirito
• Variation VII, Andante con moto
• Coda: Moderato - This is a reprise of the theme, with harmonics in the first 2 measures.

See also

• List of variations on a theme by another composer

Notes and References

1. http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/259135.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about Classical Archives
2. http://www.spokanesymphony.org/press,202,spokanesymphonygetspassionateaboutrussianmusic Spokane Symphony
3. http://soniclabyrinth.blogspot.com/2010/10/thoughts-on-arenskys-variations-on.html Sonic Labyrinth
4. https://books.google.com/books?id=RVqafZLoglQC&dq=legend+christ+in+his+garden+pleshcheyev&pg=PA164 Richard D. Sylvester, Tchaikovsky's complete songs: a companion with texts and translations