Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a, a piece for string orchestra by Anton Arensky, started out as the slow movement of his String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35, for the unusual scoring of violin, viola, and 2 cellos. It was written in 1894, the year after the death of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, in a tribute to that composer. It is based on the theme from the song "Legend", the fifth of Tchaikovsky's Sixteen Children's Songs, Op. 54.
Tchaikovsky's song was originally set to a Russian translation by Aleksey Pleshcheyev of a poem in English called "Roses and Thorns" by the American poet Richard Henry Stoddard.
At the first performance of the quartet, the slow movement was so well received that Arensky soon arranged it as a separate piece for string orchestra, Op. 35a, in which form it has remained among the most popular of all Arensky's works.
Structure
After Tchaikovsky's theme is heard, the piece has seven Variations followed by a Coda, set out as follows (mostly in the key of E minor): Theme, Moderato Variation I, Un poco più mosso - Variation II, Allegro non troppo - Starting with a sudden chord, the theme is heard in the lower strings. Variation III, Andantino tranquillo - Now in E major, the theme is taken up by the first violins. Variation IV, Vivace - This is a lively movement dominated by the offbeat pizzicato Variation V, Andante Variation VI, Allegro con spirito Variation VII, Andante con moto Coda: Moderato - This is a reprise of the theme, with harmonics in the first 2 measures.
See also
List of variations on a theme by another composer
References
1894 compositions
Compositions for string orchestra
Composer tributes (classical music) Tchaikovsky Compositions by Anton Arensky