Britten Thematic Catalogue

Beta Version

BTC877 DIVERSIONS

For pianoforte (left hand) and orchestra, op. 21
Subtitle: For pianoforte (left hand) and orchestra
Other titles: Concert variations; Diversions on a theme

Title on composition draft; title of the first American printing of the score (1941).

Period of composition: Jul - Oct 1940
Revised: 1950; 1953-4
First performance: 16 Jan 1942 >>
Type of performance: Concert performance
Location: Academy of Music, Philadelphia
Performance details:

Paul Wittgenstein pf, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugène Ormandy cond

Genre: Orchestral
Performing forces:

Orchestra: 2 fl (II=picc), 2 ob (II=ca), 2 cl in B flat, alto sax (ad lib.), 2 bn, dbn - 4 hn, 2 tpt in C, 3 trbn, tuba - timp, 3 (or 2) perc (xyl, trgl, tamb, sd, bd, susp cymb, cymb, gong) - harp - str

In the absence of an alto sax, the part is to be played by tpt I or (in one passage only) hn I.

Duration: 30'
Dedication: 'For Paul Wittgenstein'

Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961), Austrian pianist who lost his right arm in the First World War.

Notes

The first, American printing of the score (1941), was a photographic reduction from the composer's autograph. Some of the variation titles differ from those of the revised version (see individual movements for further details). This edition also suggested two shortened versions of the work, one omitting variation 8, the other variations 5 and 7.

All content copyright (C) Britten-Pears Foundation 2012 unless stated. Please note all BTC numbers are provisional at this stage.