(Section C)
Led by Laurance Turner
Conducted by Sir Dan Godfrey
Kathleen Long (pianoforte)
Cesar Franck 's Symphonic Variations for piano and orchestra was composed in 1885 and given its first performance in the following year by the Societe Nationale de Musique. It is certainly one of the most beautiful of Franck's works, written as it is with the utmost clarity of style and purity of thought and delicacy of colour. The form of the variations is interesting in that it is treated cyclically. Although in one continuous movement, the music falls into ten distinct sections: Introduction, statement of theme and six variations, interlude and finale.
On the entry of the piano in the Introduction (poco allegro), the cyclic theme is heard. Later on the time changes into an allegretto quasi andante, and after a few bars the piano gives out a second theme upon which the six variations are built.