Variations, Chaconne and Finale
Encyclopedia
Variations, Chaconne and Finale is a set of variations for orchestra
composed by Norman Dello Joio
in 1947; the piece was premiered in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Fritz Reiner
, on January 30, 1948. It won the New York Critics Circle Award for the year. It is an orchestral version of his Piano Sonata No. 1.
The theme for the piece, presented by the oboe
, is derived from the Kyrie
movement of the Missa de Angelis, and much of the work is subdued and religious in tone. In the first part of the piece, after its initial presentation, the melody is the subject of six variations. The chaconne
is built from its first four notes, but in chromatic form. The finale, by contrast to the rest of the work, is spirited and joyous. The work ends with a loud return of the theme's first four notes.
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
composed by Norman Dello Joio
Norman Dello Joio
- Life :He was born Nicodemo DeGioio in New York City to Italian immigrants. He began his musical career as organist and choir director at the Star of the Sea Church on City Island in New York at age 14. His father was an organist, pianist, and vocal coach and coached many opera stars from the...
in 1947; the piece was premiered in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Fritz Reiner
Fritz Reiner
Frederick Martin “Fritz” Reiner was a prominent conductor of opera and symphonic music in the twentieth century.-Biography:...
, on January 30, 1948. It won the New York Critics Circle Award for the year. It is an orchestral version of his Piano Sonata No. 1.
The theme for the piece, presented by the oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, is derived from the Kyrie
Kyrie
Kyrie, a transliteration of Greek κύριε , vocative case of κύριος , meaning "Lord", is the common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, which is also called the Kýrie, eléison ....
movement of the Missa de Angelis, and much of the work is subdued and religious in tone. In the first part of the piece, after its initial presentation, the melody is the subject of six variations. The chaconne
Chaconne
A chaconne ; is a type of musical composition popular in the baroque era when it was much used as a vehicle for variation on a repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short repetitive bass-line which offered a compositional outline for variation, decoration, figuration and...
is built from its first four notes, but in chromatic form. The finale, by contrast to the rest of the work, is spirited and joyous. The work ends with a loud return of the theme's first four notes.