Dedicated to my niece

Brianna Atwell

Bob Atwell

Variations on a Theme by Hovhaness

Op. 24

Transcribed for 2 Clarinets

2

Composer's notes

This piece was conceived as a kind of parallel to Bach's Chaconne from the Violin
Partita #2. That work is structured as 32 variations on an 8 bar theme (or 64
variations on a 4 bar theme) with the last note of one variation usually overlapping
the first note of the next. I decided to do 16 variations of a 16 bar theme with
overlap of the last / first measure which in my case means that each variation
except the last actually ends up as 15 measures.

My source for the original theme is the fourth movement of Alan Hovhaness'
Symphony #22 ("City of Light") published by C. F. Peters Corporation.

Performers, please use the indicated articulations and even the dynamic
markings as suggestions rather than edicts. I believe that the markings given
provide a good interpretation but you are free to make your own choices. The
tempo should remain fairly constant but you are free to use a different tempo
for each variation if you so wish. Make whatever adjustments you want but try
to keep it reasonable and within the 60 - 88 bpm range indicated.
s
 Variations on a Theme by Hovhaness Bob Atwell
Maestoso q = 72 (60 - 88)
4
4
ff

4
4
ff

12

16
1

pp
mp

pp V.S.
mp legato

Original Theme: Copyright © 1971 by C. F. Peters Corporation - permission granted

This Work: Copyright © 2004, 2014 by Bob Atwell
2

21

pp

26

mp pp

mp

31
2

mf non legato

mf non legato

36

f
 3

41

mf

mf

46
3

pp

51

mp

55

V.S.
4

59
4

f marcato mf p f

f marcato mf f

64

f mf p f mf f
mf

p f f mf p f
mf mf

70

mf p f mf f mf p f

mf f p f
mf f mf

76
5

p legato

p legato
 5

78

80

82

84

mp mf
f

mp f mf V.S.
mf
6

87

mp p

90
6

ff
con forza

ff
con forza

92

94

ff

ff
 7

96

99

mf

mf

101

ff

ff

104

V.S.
8

106
7

mp
lightly, mild staccato

mp lightly, mild staccato

108

mf

mf

111

mp
mild staccato

114

mf tenuto f ff

mf tenuto f
ff
 9

119
8

mp dolce legato

mp dolce legato

125

131

136
9 lightly, with a 5/8 feel

mf subito giacoso

lightly, with a 5/8 feel

V.S.
mf subito giacoso
10

140

144

147

151
10
3 3

f marcato p f

f marcato 3 3
p
 11

155
3 3

p f

f 3 3
p

159
3 3

p f

f 3 3
p

163
3 3 3

3 3

p f

166
11

mf

V.S.
mf
12

171

mp

mp

176

mf

mf

180
12 3 3 3 3
3 3 3
3

mp espress.

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

mp espress.

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
185 3 3

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
 13

3 3
191 3 3 3 3 3 3
3

3 3 3 3 3 3

13
196

201

206

V.S.
14

211
14

mp

mp

213

215

217
 15

219

mf

222

mp

mp

224

15
226

mf

V.S.
16

228

230

232

3 3 f
3 3

236

ff

ff