Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Rachmaninoff)
# Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Rachmaninoff)

Variations on a Theme of Chopin (Russian: Вариации на тему Ф. Шопена, Variatsii na temu F. Shopena), Op. 22, is a group of 22 variations on Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C minor (Op. 28, No. 20), composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff in 1902–03. In the first edition, it is noted that 3 of the variations and the final Presto section can be omitted if the performer wishes.

## Variations

The form of the piece is:

    Theme: Largo, 9 bars

| Variation | Tempo marking | Key | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| I | Moderato (66 bpm) | C minor | 8 bars |
| II | Allegro (132 bpm) | C minor | 8 bars |
| III | 132 bpm | C minor | 8 bars |
| IV | 132 bpm | C minor | 24 bars of $^3$ $_4$ |
| V | Meno mosso (92 bpm) | C minor | 8 bars |
| VI | Meno mosso (84 bpm) | C minor | 8 bars 12 bars of $^6$ $_4$ |
| VII | Allegro (120 bpm) | C minor | 8 bars *This variation may be omitted |
| VIII | 120 bpm | C minor | 8 bars |
| IX | 120 bpm | C minor | 8 bars |
| X | Più vivo (144 bpm) | C minor | 14 bars *This variation may be omitted |
| XI | Lento (44 bpm) | E♭ major | 14 bars of $^{12}$ $_8$ |
| XII | Moderato (60 bpm) | C minor | 32 bars *This variation may be omitted |
| XIII | Largo (52 bpm) | C minor | 16 bars |
| XIV | Moderato (72 bpm) | C minor | 24 bars of $^4$ $_4$ then one bar of $^2$ $_4$ |
| XV | Allegro scherzando (132 bpm) | F minor | 45 bars of $^{12}$ $_8$ in F minor |
| XVI | Lento (54 bpm) | F minor | 14 bars in F minor |
| XVII | Grave (46 bpm) | B♭ minor | 18 bars of $^3$ $_4$ in B♭ minor |
| XVIII | Più mosso | B♭ minor | 12 bars in B♭ minor |
| XIX | Allegro vivace | A major | 35 bars in A major |
| XX | Presto (92 bpm) | C♯ minor | 108 bars of $^3$ $_4$ in A major and C♯ minor |
| XXI | Andante (60 bpm) - Più vivo (100 bpm) | D♭ major C major | 24 bars in D♭ major followed by 29 bars of $^3$ $_4$ in C major marked Più vivo (100 bpm) |
| XXII | Maestoso (100 bpm) | C major | 82 bars of $^3$ $_4$ in C major. Then 12 bars marked Meno mosso. Finally, 19 bars marked Presto (These final 19 bars may be omitted) |
