Tchaikovsky - Variations on a Rococo Theme (Standard Edition, Piano)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–93) remains one of the most famous Russian composers of the Romantic era. His Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33, reflect his lifelong admiration for Mozart’s music. The work also bears a striking resemblance to Franz Danzi’s variations on Mozart’s “Là ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni, which Danzi used as the finale of his Cello Concerto No. 1 in A major, the same key as Tchaikovsky’s Variations.

The work began as a piano score in Tchaikovsky’s hand in late 1876 or early 1877. Composed for the cellist Wilhelm, or Guillaume, Fitzenhagen, it naturally benefited from Fitzenhagen’s help in making the solo writing more idiomatic for the instrument. Fitzenhagen made corrections to the piano score, which Tchaikovsky then orchestrated. The manuscript of the orchestration in Tchaikovsky’s hand reflects Fitzenhagen’s suggestions. The cello part in the orchestral score is almost entirely in Fitzenhagen’s hand, but this is not unusual; the orchestral score of Tchaikovsky’s Pezzo capriccioso similarly contains the cello part in the hand of Anatoly Brandukov, that work’s dedicatee.

This edition presents the standard seven-variation version of the piece. All of the musical text found in our original urtext edition is also present in this edition; the difference is the order of the variations. The sources were graciously provided by the Russian National Museum of Music in Moscow.

This edition includes a piano score, an unmarked solo cello part, and a solo cello part with fingerings and bowings. Essential repertoire for advanced and professional cellists, the Variations on a Rococo Theme are well suited for serious study, auditions, competitions, and concerto performance.

The original eight-variation piano version is available separately: https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/717869-tchaikovsky-variations-on-a-rococo-theme-urtext-edition-piano

ASTA level: 6