PAGANINI CAPRICE - VARIATIONS FOR THREE VIOLINS, CELLO AND PIANO
by Nicolo Paganini
String Quartet - Digital Sheet Music

String Quartet String Quartet - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.749230

Composed by Nicolo Paganini. Arranged by HELEN MARPLE-HORVAT. Contemporary. Score and parts. 47 pages. Helen Marple-Horvat #5359805. Published by Helen Marple-Horvat (A0.749230).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHQyUKjUSSE

The Theme and Variations for violin by Paganini were completed in 1817. Originally devised as a set of studies in different string techniques, they became an inspiration for many composers down the years, including Schumann, Brahms, Liszt and Rachmaninov. In our own day, many different composers still have fun with the basic ideas, turning them into many different styles. In the UK, Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote some for his brother Julian. This set, for cello and rock band, became famous as the theme tune to the ‘South Bank Show’.

I have adapted a set of variations written by my daughter Phoebe for her UK GCSE composition exam, composing a new one of my own and adding a piano. As well as being fun and easy to play, I hope that they will be a useful teaching resource. Variation form is often on the syllabus for schools, with young people required to write their own set. In my view, the examples offered in textbooks are often complex and daunting. As a retired teacher, I wanted to offer these as a less complex stimulus to creativity, where some of the compositional devices are easily spotted. There is a version in the tonic major, some inverting of melodic motifs, some playing with leaping octaves and some retaining of melodic lines in new rhythmic patterns. Have fun with the analysis!

I would love younger players to be able to tackle these variations. As is to be expected, the first violinist has a more difficult part, but I suggest using open strings and any bowing that you like if it will help you to play more comfortably. The keys are chosen for their ease for string players. The pianist frequently has two hands playing the same thing, so one hand could be omitted without loss to the overall melodic and harmonic effect. The ‘Theme’ and ‘Variation 4’ have not been recorded live but there is a computerised score in the thirty second allotted sample. I chose to give these a very fast tempo so that I could fit more of the music into the short clip but both could be very easily and effectively played at a much slower tempo.

I hope you have fun playing these. Send me any recordings, even if just a phone recording, as I particularly love to hear young people play my arrangements! I can be contacted on Facebook or on my Youtube Channel, Helen Marple-Horvat, Songwriter, Arranger and Composer where you will also find all my string quartet arrangements.

The recording is for String Quartet with Viola instead of Violin 3 but the parts are very similar. Sometimes I have put the Violin 3 an octave higher or given a Viola motif to the Cello

I am also planning to adapt these for different combinations of players so watch this space!