• Composition: October 1962 through February 1963. The theme is from the second movement of Hindemith’s Cello Concerto.
• First Performance: 8 March 1963. Royal Festival Hall, London. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir William Walton conductor.
• Duration: About 23 minutes
• Movements:
Theme. Andante con moto
Variation 1. Vivace
Variation 2. Allegramente
Variation 3. Larghetto
Variation 4. Moto perpetuo
Variation 5. Andante con moto
Variation 6. Scherzando
Variation 7. Lento molto
Variation 8. Vivacissimo
Variation 9. Maestoso
Finale. Allegro molto
Coda. A tempo primo, ma meno mosso
• Dedication: To Paul and Gertrud Hindemith
• Craggs Catalogue Number: C76
• Instrumentation: 3 flutes, piccolo, 3 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon – 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba – timpani, 3 percussion (side drum, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, suspended cymbals, tambourine, xylophone, triangle, bells, glockenspiel) – harp – strings
• Manuscript: Frederick R. Koch Collection. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Manuscript FRKF 600. Autograph full score. Dated ‘Forio 6.2.63’. 104 pages. With an additional 54 pages of full-score sketches.
William Walton Museum, Forio d’Ischia. One page of manuscript, together with notes.
• Publication: Oxford University Press. Study score, 1963, 019 3684500. Score and parts are available on hire. [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: Study score]
• Recordings:
Orchestra | Conductor | Year | Compact Disc | Timing |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Sir William Walton | 1963 | BBC Legends 4098-2 | 23’04” |
Cleveland Orchestra | George Szell | 1965 | Sony Classical 62753 | 22’48” |
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra | Vernon Handley | 1988 | EMI Classics 86596 | 23’19” |
London Philharmonic | Jan Latham-Koenig | 1992 | Chandos CHAN 9106 | 24’17” |
English Northern Philharmonia | Paul Daniel | 1996 | Naxos 8.553869 | 22’45” |