Variations for Orchestra (Carter)

2 Reception

Variations for Orchestra is an orchestral composition

by the American composer Elliott Carter. The work was
commissioned by the Louisville Orchestra and was composed in 1955, based on the composers sketches from
1953 and 1954. It was given its premiere on April 21,
1956, by the Louisville Orchestra under the conductor
Robert Whitney, both to whom the work is dedicated.[1]

Variations for Orchestra has been praised by music critics. Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times wrote,
"[Carters] goal was to write a work of exhilarating variety. Indeed, one way to listen to this piece is to forget everything about the theme-and-variations form and
revel instead in the boldly contrasting moods, harmonies,
colors and characters of the music.[2] Tim Page of The
Washington Post similarly remarked:

Composition

As with so much of Carters later music,

this work is based on clashes of musical opposites. The theme in these variations is augmented by two equally signicant but dramatically dierent motifs. One occasionally has
the sensation that all of the variations are being
played at once; the mind focuses on the slow
diminution of one passage and the sudden importance of another, as if a world were changing before ones ears.[3]

Variations for Orchestra has a duration of roughly 24 minutes and consists of twelve connected movements comprising an introduction, a theme, nine variations, and a
nale:
1. Introduction: Allegro
2. Theme: Andante
3. Variation 1: Vivace leggero

3 References

4. Variation 2: Pesante
5. Variation 3: Moderato

[1] Carter, Elliott (1955). Variations for Orchestra. G.

Schirmer Inc. Retrieved February 25, 2016.

6. Variation 4: Ritardando molto

[2] Tommasini, Anthony (May 24, 2008). Another Big

Night in a Centenarians Big Year. The New York Times.
Retrieved February 25, 2016.

7. Variation 5: Allegro misterioso

[3] Page, Tim (August 9, 1998). American Composers: Elliott Carter - He Put Motion Into His Movements. The
Washington Post. Retrieved February 25, 2016.

8. Variation 6: Accelerando molto

9. Variation 7: Andante
10. Variation 8: Allegro giocoso
11. Variation 9: Andante
12. Finale: Allegro molto

1.1

Instrumentation

The work is scored for an orchestra comprising two utes

(2nd doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two
bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two trombones, bass
trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.[1]
1

4 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

4.1

Text

Variations for Orchestra (Carter) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variations_for_Orchestra_(Carter)?oldid=732680694 Contributors: Jg2904 and BG19bot

4.2

Images

File:Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg License: Cc-bysa-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

File:Symbol_list_class.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Symbol_list_class.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

4.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0