Variations on an Original Theme op. 10 for Viola and Piano

Description

Joseph Joachim is considered one of the most important violinists of the second half of the nineteenth century. By contrast, his indeed small but at the time highly regarded compositional work is hardly known today. Unjustly so, as shown by the Variations on an Original Theme op. 10, which was admired by Brahms. The work was composed in 1854 in connection with Joachim’s unrequited love for the authoress Gisela von Arnim, to whom he erected a monument employing musical symbolism in the opening theme gis1–e1–a1 (g-sharp–e–a; a = Italian la). The theme, performed by the piano alone, is followed by ten variations that demonstrate an immense diversity of derivations – in terms of melody, harmony and, above all, rhythm – from the simple basic idea.
At the suggestion of world-renowned violist Tabea Zimmermann – who also contributed fingerings and bowings – this delightful work appears for the first time in an Urtext edition, edited by Joachim specialist Christoph Arta on the basis of all available sources. A real insider tip for the viola, which is not so abundantly blessed with original compositions!