composing a theme with variations

[Tash]

are there any set rules for this, or could i just variate my theme however i please in any order? thanks xo

[minimozart007]

NO, except there is usually one minor variation and usually the work is headed off by a coda or the theme is repeated, as in the golberg variations.  Good luck

[ludwig]

I guess there aren't many rules for variation writing, many thing is to have similar or the same harmonic progressions, this is essentially what ties everything together....You should check out Brahms' clarinet quintet mvt IV, its one of my favourite T + V pieces...

[Dazzer]

or the paganini rachmaninov.

The thing doesn't necessarily have to sound EXACTLY the same. Rachmaninov skillfully manages to imply to the audience the overall theme, without the actual theme surfacing.

and the infamous 18th variation, you can't even hear the theme!!! its actually a retrograde of the original theme.

some Key techniques of variations that i can think off the top of my head:

stretch out the theme (in terms of time value)
change rhythm
change mode (maj -> min etc)
change key
inversion
retrograde

then if you wanna be a bit tricky, you could possibly superimpose a couple of the techniques.

[Tash]

cool thanks all! yeah i'm very familiar with the brahms clarinet quintet it's nice. now to go attempt to compose my own this shall be interesting!