Symphonic Variations (Dvořák)

Antonín Dvořák's Symphonic Variations on an Original Theme (Czech: Symfonické variace) for orchestra, Op. 78, B. 70, were written in 1877. They are played fairly commonly, much like Johannes Brahms's Variations on a Theme by Haydn and Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations. They are often recorded in conjunction with his nine symphonies.

Supposedly, the work was a response to a challenge from a friend to write variations on a theme that seemed impossible for that purpose. Dvořák chose the third of his set of three part-songs for unaccompanied male voices (Sborové písně pro mužské hlasy), B. 66, titled "Huslař", or "Já jsem huslař" ("The fiddler", or "I am a fiddler"; text by Adolf Heyduk - the other two songs were from Moravian folk poetry). The three songs were written in mid-January 1877 and first performed on 4 March. The third song is in tripartite form a-b-a, where the lengths of the phrases are 7-6-7. But far from being impossible as a subject of variations, the theme turned out to be exceptionally well suited for that purpose.

The Symphonic Variations were written between 6 August and 28 September 1877. The work was first performed in the Žofín concert hall in Prague on 2 December 1877, by the Provisional Theatre [Prozatímní divadlo] Orchestra, under conductor Ludevít Procházka. The occasion was a charity concert to raise money for the construction of a church in Prague's Smíchov district, and, although the audience liked the piece, there was no press coverage of it. Also, Dvořák's publishers were not interested in the work. Doubly discouraged, he put it aside for ten years, concentrating on other projects.

In March 1887, under pressure to produce more music, Dvořák revived the work, this time conducting it himself in Prague's Rudolfinum. The National Theatre Orchestra so pleased him with this second performance that he decided to send the score to the conductor Hans Richter. Richter was delighted with it and immediately included the piece in the programme for his forthcoming English tour. He wrote to the composer on 17 May after the first rehearsal with the Philharmonic Society in London on 13 May, "I am absolutely carried away. It is a magnificent work! I am so happy to be the first to produce it in London. But why have you held it back so long? These variations should shine in the first rank of your compositions".

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