As stated earlier, in theme and variations, every variation is characterized by retention of certain elements of the theme while others are replaced. In this variation Beethoven tricks the listener by transforming the first theme from its role as the principle melody, into a bass line for a second theme.
The key shifts to C minor, the relative minor of Eb major, and a somewhat fugal treatment occurs in this variation. There are a total of ten variations in this movement, in which various permutations of both themes are presented prior to the arrival of the coda, the concluding section of the movement.
Vous dirai-je, Maman K. Here is the original Mozart theme:. And now here are the first few measures of each of the variations of this utterly charming Mozart work:. In conclusion, various manifestations of variation form have been widely employed by composers of many different historical musical eras, serving as both a unifying element in their music and as a marvelous vehicle for giving free rein to their creative imagination. Lee Evans, Ed. You can also analyze these rules to determine what the form of a single, or multiple, pieces of music are.
We have a full post on Musical Form if you want to learn about it in more detail. Most forms in music are analyzed by labelling each section of the piece with a letter — A, B, C, D, etc. You would label the first section A, and then when you hear the music change to a different section, label that as B, and keep going from there, using the A again if that first section repeats.
As these sections are variants of the A section, each one would typically be labelled as A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , etc. You might sometimes see ABCD as the form, but that implies each section is more individual and separate from the others than is usually the case in a theme and variation.
The musicians would get bored playing the same thing for hours on end, and would therefore invent variations sometimes to keep themselves and their guests more entertained. You can alter the theme of a piece in multiple different ways. For this particular activity, students had already been introduced to the idea of a "Theme and Variations" form, and had listened to several examples. First, students are given a simple melody, accompanied by basic harmony as seen in the pdf file below , on the chalkboard.
The instructor should play the excerpt on the piano to let the class hear it once or twice. If desired, the class could also sing the melody aloud, etc. Once you have done that try choosing one of the techniques listed above and use it to improvise a variation based on your theme.
Varying the melody is a good place to start. Try improvising a different melody. Record or notate your idea and then compare it to your original theme. Your variation should sound different to the original theme, but should still be recognizable as being based upon the theme. Try this a few times until you have produced a variation you are pleased with.
When you have done this try varying the theme again, this time using a different technique such as rhythm. He is a music teacher, examiner, composer and pianist with over twenty years experience in music education. Read More.
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