Variations for string quartet

Czas: 17'
Części utworu: Andante / Poco viro / Moderato / Allegretto con spirito / Allegro marciale / Adagio molto / Allegro scherzando / Lento con sordino / Allegro molto / Con moto / Grave lugubre / Presto con fuoco / Allegro con troppo
Instrumentacja: vl1 vl2 vla vc
Rok: 1946
Duration: 17'
Composed in: 1946

Also known as A Theme with Variations for String Quartet. The piece consists of 12 variations – Andante / Poco vivo / Moderato / Allegretto con spirito / Allegro marciale / Adagio molto / Allegro scherzando / Lento / Allegro molto / Con moto / Grave lugubre / Presto con fuoco / Allegro non troppo – and a developed double fugue.
A calm and slow theme of Andante is built of sixteen bars. First variations are strongly related to the theme, the later ones less so. Each of the variations is unique in character and a separate entity but at the same time links with the following variation. There are numerous forms here: two and three-piece songs, marches, preludes, scherzo, toccatino and double fugue.