Ernő Dohnányi: Variations on a Children’s Song

In today’s performance we commemorate the namesake of our orchestra, Ernő Dohnányi, with one of his most famous works: the Variations on a Children’s Song. The composer wrote the piece for piano and orchestra, evidently for himself. He performed it countless times; even in his late seventies, a magnificent recording was made with his participation. Ernő Dohnányi was one of the handful of twentieth-century artists who never strayed from the upbringing and mindset into which he was born: namely, late Romanticism. Nor was he swayed by the often-changing musical trends of the twentieth century1 that emerged during his lifetime. Dohnányi is, nevertheless, a true poeta doctus2—that is, a master of his craft.

He handles musical material with fantastic skill, creating musical processes and forms with the same ease as the great composers of the classical eras; moreover, his orchestral writing and captivating, Romantic orchestral sound make him one of the greatest masters, comparable to Richard Strauss. You have already heard both of his symphonies from us: each is a fairy-tale-like, captivating, monumental work. He also composed numerous concertos: two piano concertos, two violin concertos and a concerto for cello.3 Among his orchestral works, you will no doubt recall his piece entitled Symphonic Minutes, and the almost impossible-to-keep-up-with acceleration of its final movement, where we are literally racing against ourselves. Dohnányi became truly famous throughout the world as a pianist, and his career as a pianist remained his defining role even when he moved to America.

The true renaissance of his output began after his death. We, too, have sought to play our part in this—primarily because it is a very rewarding musical task, and secondly because it is a joy to play his works. ¹ E.g. dodecaphony, neoclassicism, etc. ² Poeta doctus: an artist who masters his art at the highest level, both in theory and in practice. ³ His cello concerto is known as the ‘Konzertstück’. In art, impact and difficulty do not always go hand in hand. Sometimes a passage is very difficult, and you don’t even notice it; at other times you listen in amazement to music that seems terribly difficult and complex, but which in reality is not quite so. Dohnányi handles the orchestral material and the characteristics of the instruments superbly and with great expertise; he knows the capabilities and limitations of the instruments.

This is precisely why each orchestral part is a real treat for the musicians. He treats the piano part quite differently, however. The boundlessness of his own technical mastery certainly puts the pianists through their paces, while they are supposed to convey an otherworldly lightness. Even in those moments when the piano part serves merely as an accompaniment to the orchestra, the composer gives the artist no respite. But do not worry—the balance is positive; it is no coincidence that the Variations are played with such joy all over the world. Dohnányi’s piece is among the most popular of its kind: among twentieth-century works for piano and orchestra, it enjoys a popularity comparable to that of Rachmaninoff’s concertos. As I said, the Variations on a Children’s Song is a true, thoroughbred Romantic work.

It was composed in 1914, at a time when the continuity of musical tradition already seemed to be faltering, and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Bartók’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle had already been written. Although Schoenberg had not yet devised the twelve-tone technique, or dodecaphony, we are clearly in the midst of a process of transformation. Paying no heed to any of this, Dohnányi’s work continues the tradition of Romantic virtuosity. The piece is rewarding and enjoyable for both the orchestra and the audience. As is customary with concertos, it begins with an orchestral introduction.