Ernst von Dohnányi ： Variations on a Nursery Song Op.25

Starting from a familiar nursery melody, Dohnányi weaves a wide range of character and demanding virtuosity into this set of variations for piano and orchestra. Following the theme, the successive variations move through light-hearted humor, powerful momentum, and lyrical episodes, while the exchanges between soloist and orchestra provide an additional point of interest. In performance, it is important to keep the melodic outline clear while differentiating the character of each variation. In the brilliant passages, precision should be matched by a sense of overall direction and careful balance with the orchestra.