Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel

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The Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24, is a highly imaginative, classically polished composition for solo piano penned by Johannes Brahms. It was composed in September 1861 as a birthday present for Clara Schumann, who was the widow of Brahms' musical and personal mentor, Robert Schumann. Shortly after Brahms gave the premiere in Vienna on November 29, 1861, Clara herself played the Handel Variations in a recital in Hamburg. The work was an important landmark in the developing career of the young Brahms.

Brahms borrowed the theme from an aria in the third movement of George Frideric Handel's Harpsichord Suite No. 1 in B-flat Major, HWV 434 (1733). In the Handel, the original theme is transformed into five variations. To explore the vast chromatic possibilities that were opened up by the inventive development of the piano from the harpsichord, Brahms enlarged the scope of his opus to a monumental 25 variations capped off by an extended fugue.

[edit] Structure

Theme. Aria
Variation I. Più vivo
Variation II. Animato
Variation III. Dolce, scherzando
Variation IV. Risoluto
Variation V. Espressivo
Variation VI. Sempre misterioso
Variation VII. Deciso, con vivacita
Variation VIII. Deciso, con vivacita
Variation IX. Poco sostenuto
Variation X. Allegro energico
Variation XI. Moderato, dolce espressivo
Variation XII. L'istesso tempo
Variation XIII. Largamente ma non troppo
Variation XIV. Sciolto
Variation XV.
Variation XVI.
Variation XVII. Più mosso
Variation XVIII.
Variation XIX. Leggiero e vivace ma non troppo
Variation XX. Andante
Variation XXI. Vivace
Variation XXII. Alla musette
Variation XXIII. Vivace
Variation XXIV.
Variation XXV.
Fugue

Today, the piece is often heard in a colorful orchestral version which was arranged by the British symphonist and Brahms enthusiast Edmund Rubbra in 1938. The orchestration was first performed at a Royal Philharmonic Society concert conducted by Adrian Boult.