Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Rachmaninoff)

Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Russian: Вариации на тему Ф. Шопена, Variatsii na temu F. Shopena), Op. 22, is a group of 22 variations on Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C minor (Op. 28, No. 20), composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff in 1902–03. In the first edition, it is noted that 3 of the variations and the final Presto section can be omitted if the performer wishes.

Chopin's Prelude No. 20 in C minor. Rachmaninoff uses only the first 8 bars plus end-chord, and changes the E♭ in the last chord of bar 3 to E♮.

Variations

The form of the piece is:

Theme: Largo, 9 bars

Variation	Tempo marking	Key	Description	Score
I	Moderato (66 bpm)	C minor	8 bars
II	Allegro (132 bpm)	C minor	8 bars
III	132 bpm	C minor	8 bars
IV	132 bpm	C minor	24 bars of 3 4
V	Meno mosso (92 bpm)	C minor	8 bars
VI	Meno mosso (84 bpm)	C minor	8 bars 12 bars of 6 4
VII	Allegro (120 bpm)	C minor	8 bars *This variation may be omitted
VIII	120 bpm	C minor	8 bars
IX	120 bpm	C minor	8 bars
X	Più vivo (144 bpm)	C minor	14 bars *This variation may be omitted
XI	Lento (44 bpm)	E♭ major	14 bars of 12 8
XII	Moderato (60 bpm)	C minor	32 bars *This variation may be omitted
XIII	Largo (52 bpm)	C minor	16 bars
XIV	Moderato (72 bpm)	C minor	24 bars of 4 4 then one bar of 2 4
XV	Allegro scherzando (132 bpm)	F minor	45 bars of 12 8 in F minor
XVI	Lento (54 bpm)	F minor	14 bars in F minor
XVII	Grave (46 bpm)	B♭ minor	18 bars of 3 4 in B♭ minor
XVIII	Più mosso	B♭ minor	12 bars in B♭ minor
XIX	Allegro vivace	A major	35 bars in A major
XX	Presto (92 bpm)	C♯ minor	108 bars of 3 4 in A major and C♯ minor
XXI	Andante (60 bpm) - Più vivo (100 bpm)	D♭ major C major	24 bars in D♭ major followed by 29 bars of 3 4 in C major marked Più vivo (100 bpm)
XXII	Maestoso (100 bpm)	C major	82 bars of 3 4 in C major. Then 12 bars marked Meno mosso. Finally, 19 bars marked Presto (These final 19 bars may be omitted)

See also

• List of variations on a theme by another composer