Knut Bäck (1868−1953)

Tema med Variationer för Piano (b-moll) [Theme and Variations for Piano (in B-flat minor)]

opus 2

Print

Tema: Andante con moto
Var. I: Poco più lento
Var. II: Allegro molto — Poco meno mosso — Allegro molto
Var. III: Tempo I ma poco sostenuto
Var. IV: Allegretto scherzando
Var. V: Moderato ma un poco agitato
Var. VI: Andante
Var. VII: Molto allegro
Var. VIII: Andante
Var. IX: Allegretto
Var. X: Grave ma non troppo lento
Var. XI: Allegro moderato
Var. XII: Con fuoco — Pomposo

  • Year of composition: 1891
  • Work category: Piano
  • Duration: 15 min
  • Detailed duration: 15' (according to a performance by Stefan Lindgren on 11 December, 2012)

Examples of printed editions

Musikaliska Konstföreningen [the Swedish Art Music Society], Stockholm, M.K. 58

Location for score and part material

Musik- och teaterbiblioteket

Description of work

Tema [Theme]: Andante con moto B-flat minor 3/4, 16 bars
Var. I: Poco più lento, 7 bars, 4/4 (C), 1 bar, 3/4, 1 bar, 4/4 (C), 1 bar, 3/4, 6 bars
Var. II: Allegro molto 4/4 (C), 6 bars, Poco meno mosso, 8 bars, Allegro molto, 6 bars
Var. III: Tempo I ma poco sostenuto, 14 bars
Var. IV: Allegretto scherzando B major, 14 bars, D-flat major, 4 bars, B-flat major, 15 bars
Var. V: Moderato ma un poco agitato E-flat minor 12/8, 16 bars
Var. VI: Andante B-flat minor 4/4 (C), 16 bars
Var. VII: Molto allegro 3/4, 33 bars
Var. VIII: Andante B-flat major, 5 bars, 2/4, 4 bars, B-flat minor 3/4, 3 bars, 5/4, 1 bar, D major 3/4, 5 bars, 5/4, 1 bar, B-flat major 3/4, 5 bars, 2/4, 7 bars
Var. IX: Allegretto B-flat minor 4/4 (C), 28 bars
Var. X: Grave ma non troppo lento 6/8, 32 bars
Var. XI: Allegro moderato B-flat major 4/4 (C), 12 bars, B-flat minor, 10 bars, B-flat major, 24 bars
Var. XII: Con fuoco B-flat minor 3/4, 6 bars, 6/8, 16 bars, 3/4, 6 bars, Pomposo B-flat major, 4 bars, 4/4 (C), 8 bars, in total 341 bars

Work comment

According to a program dated 21st May 1891 in the archive of Richard Andersson (vol. 'Papper' [papers]) at the Musik- och teaterbiblioteket, Stockholm, Knut Bäck performed his Variations in B-flat minor at his students' concert in Stockholm on this date. Thus, these Variations may have existed already in 1891 (as apposed to the information e.g., in the Sohlmans musiklexikon [a Swedish dictionary of music and musicians], which states that they were composed in 1895). Was this the first performance of the complete work, or of only some of the Variations? (Incidentally, at the same concert, Wilhelm Stenhammar performed his Piano Sonata in G minor.)

Klas Gagge