Variations of Obscure Composers

[hodi]

well, i'm looking to play a set of variations.
as always - my mission is to play only underplayed and obscure pieces (that are good ones too).

i came across few pieces i'm thinking to learn. maybe one of you played them and know about their difficulties? :

Medtner - Theme & Variations op.55
Glazunov - Theme & Variations op.72

but if you have more suggestions (from the romantic period only please)
please suggest me

[mikey6]

I have the feeling monsieur Thal would be of much help in this area.

[lostinidlewonder]

I like variations for sight reading work. Here's some "obscure" ones that I've found interesting:

Grainger (Brahms) -  Variations from Paganini Variations
Henselt - Variations On A Theme By Donizetti, Op. 1
Honegger - Toccata et variations
Katsaris - Variations On Happy Birthday
Liadov - Glinka Variation
Mendelssohn - Variations Serieuses, Op.54
Rachmaninoff - Variations On A Theme Of Corelli
Rubinstein - Yankee-Variation Op 93

[thalbergmad]

Dreyschock - Variations on God Save the Queen (LH)
Schramm - As above
Field - Variations on a Russian Folksong
Moscheles - Variations on a cavatine by Nicoli
Dohler - Variations on Lucia de Lammermoor
Volkmann - Variations on e theme by Handel
Steibelt - Variations sur un air Russe
millions of others by Herz & Hunten

Respect to lostinidlewonder for mentioning the Henselt.

Thal

[communist]

Daniel Mason variations on yankee doodle (its really fun because each variation is a style on another composer    )

[argerichfan]

Szymanowski (if he can be considered obscure) wrote an interesting set (Op 3) which I feel would make an attractive item on a recital.

[kelly_kelly]

Glinka wrote a set of variations on a theme by Alabiev which I think is fairly obscure. But I could be wrong. You can listen here:

[zp3929]

blumenfeld - variations caracteristiques
blanchett - theme and variations

actually there are heaps here https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:Search?fulltext=Search&search=variations

[mikey6]

there's an op.10 by Szymanowski which Zimerman played but it's bloody hard!

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Liapunov Variations on a Georgian Theme, op.60.
Hexameron Variations (Liszt-Thalberg-Pixis-Herz-Czerny-Chopin) Great fun, but very hard.

[minor9th]

Aribert Reimann's Variations. They are extremely difficult and become almost unplayable near the end. Be brave and give 'em a shot!

[general disarray]

Xaver Scharwenka's "Theme and Variations," Opus 48.  A great piece that was probably the most popular and most performed of Scharwenka's solo piano works during his lifetime.  Claudio Arrau performed it and that's a good enough recommendation for me.

In fact, I'm going to learn the damn thing. Starting now.  Stop bothering me with questions.  I have practicing to do.

[retrouvailles]

Aribert Reimann's Variations. They are extremely difficult and become almost unplayable near the end. Be brave and give 'em a shot!

Reimann isn't romantic, as the original poster wanted. But yeah, great piece. Reimann isn't talked about too much around these parts.

[minor9th]

Reimann isn't romantic, as the original poster wanted. But yeah, great piece. Reimann isn't talked about too much around these parts.

Oops...missed the romantic requirement! It's too bad more people don't play him. I was lucky enough to attend the US premiere of his opera, Lear. Quite a shattering experience.

[indutrial]

How about Niels Viggo Bentzon's Paganini Variations? Or Allen Brings' Variations on an American Folk Song?

Edison Denisov also wrote some nice variations if you're interested in something a bit more dodecaphonic-sounding.

[edwardweiss]

How about Tchaikovsky-Theme and Variations Op.19 no.6?  Nobody seems to play it much these days. Hard-ish. But if you want something harder and very rare then look at Dohnanyi's early Variations and Fugue on a Theme by E.G. Op.4-23 minutes long and a cracking work unjustly neglected.

[gerryjay]

i second the idea about denisov's. other amazing sets were composed by berio and britten. they are not obscure, but are absolutely underplayed.
best!