Piano Variations

PIANO VARIATIONS - Notes

This piece consists of variations on a very well-known theme. The variations come first, and the theme is not revealed in full until the end, so the listener can amuse himself by trying to guess the theme before the end of the piece - it's not too difficult.
There are other things to listen out for. Among jazzy bits and ragtimey bits there's a homage to Jess Stacy, pianist with Benny Goodman's band in the forties. There are quodlibets (quotations from other music) to spot - including a folk song from the North East of England, a nursery rhyme and others. There are sections in the styles of some notable composers, including Mozart, Mendelssohn and Bach.
And for devotees of 1970s rock music, the spirit of Keith Emerson hangs over the whole thing...

F L Dunkin Wedd
Tonbridge
November 1997