''Variations for Cello Solo'' (''Variationen für Violoncello solo'') is a composition written by

Graham Waterhouse Graham Waterhouse (born 2 November 1962) is an English composer and cellist who specializes in chamber music. He has composed a cello concerto, '' Three Pieces for Solo Cello'' and '' Variations for Cello Solo'' for his own instrument, and str ...

in 2019. The

variations Variation or Variations may refer to: Science and mathematics * Variation (astronomy), any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite, particularly of the moon * Genetic variation, the difference in DNA among individua ...

depict characters of personalities. The cellist and composer performed the world premiere in Vienna in 2020. The composition was published by Schott the same year.

History

The cellist and composer

has written many works of chamber music including cello, but few works for solo cello, besides the ''

Three Pieces for Solo Cello ''Three Pieces for Solo Cello'' op. 28, is a composition for cello in three movements by Graham Waterhouse, dedicated to cellist Siegfried Palm in 1992. The composer, a cellist himself, wrote it to "exploit the characteristics" of his instrument. ...

'' in 1996. He composed a set of

for

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G ...

solo in December 2019 for a family gathering. Similar to Elgar's ''

Enigma Variations Edward Elgar composed his ''Variations on an Original Theme'', Op. 36, popularly known as the ''Enigma Variations'', between October 1898 and February 1899. It is an orchestral work comprising fourteen variations on an original theme. Elgar ...

'', the character variations depict family members in characteristic moods, movements and manners. The early variations stay closely to the

theme Theme or themes may refer to: * Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work * Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos * Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...

; later variations are more loosely connected to it. The last variation is expanded to a coda, which returns to a repetition of the theme, as a symbol for the family's continuity. The composer played the public premiere at the Alte Schmiede in Vienna on 14 February 2020, as part of a chamber music program with soprano Beata Beck and pianist Nino Gurevich, including works by Leonard Bernstein,

Friedrich Cerha Friedrich Cerha (born 17 February 1926) is an Austrian composer, conductor and music educator. Education and Career Cerha was born in Vienna, Austria, and educated at the Viennese Music Academy (violin with Váša Příhoda, composition with ...

, Richard Dünser,

Arnold Schönberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (, ; ; 13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was as ...

and Kurt Weill. The composition was published by Schott in

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

the same year, dedicated to

Young-Chang Cho Young-Chang Cho (born 1958 in Seoul) is a Korean classical cellist teaching at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Germany's Ruhr Area. Career Young-Chang Cho was born in Seoul in 1958. He began cello lessons at the age of eight. From 1971, ...

, the composer's former teacher at the

Folkwang Hochschule The Folkwang University of the Arts is a university for music, theater, dance, design, and academic studies, located in four German cities of North Rhine-Westphalia. Since 1927, its traditional main location has been in the former Werden Abbey in E ...

. The duration is given as 8 minutes. The composition is part of a concert on 6 March 2021 at the

Gasteig Gasteig is a cultural center in Munich, opened in 1985, which hosts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule, and the municipal library are all located in the Gasteig. Most of the events of the Fi ...

in Munich, with music by Beethoven and Waterhouse for one to five players, with

Katharina Sellheim Katharina Sellheim is a German classical pianist, with a focus on chamber music and lied accompaniment. She has appeared in recitals internationally, collaborating with members of the Münchner Philharmoniker, and has been a lecturer at the Mus ...

David Frühwirth David Frühwirth (born 15 June 1974) is an Austrian classical violinist. He has played internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, with a focus on contemporary music which he also recorded. He has given international master classes. Life a ...

, Namiko Fuse and Konstantin Sellheim.

References

External links

* {{italic title Chamber music by Graham Waterhouse Contemporary classical compositions Solo cello pieces Variations 2019 compositions