Description

In the 19th century, Nicolò Paganini was the embodiment of the virtuoso violinist. Many composers, including Johannes Brahms, drew inspiration from Paganini's musical themes for their own creative works. Brahms did not hesitate to use Paganini's Capriccio No. 24 in A minor from Op. 1 as the basis for his own piano composition, the Variations on a Theme by Paganini, composed in 1862/63. Initially, Brahms viewed the Variations merely as a "finger exercise" for himself, with no intention of publishing them. However, after several years, he fortunately reconsidered and published the work.

This Urtext edition allows pianists who are Brahms aficionados to enjoy this unusual virtuosic masterpiece. In contrast to variations on the same theme by composers like Chopin, Schumann, and Liszt, Brahms' Variations offer a richer, more innovative spectrum of pianistic techniques. Whether players find them to be "witches' variations," as Clara Schumann described, is a matter of personal interpretation.