The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

36 variations by Frederic Rzewski (1975) on the Chilean protest song 'El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido' by Sergio Ortega and Quilapayun. Written in response to Pinochet's 1973 coup against Salvador Allende, it is one of the most politically explicit and technically demanding works in the solo piano canon. The 36 variations are organised into six sets of six, each concluding with a restatement of the theme; the sixth group builds to a cumulative climax of shattering power. The work is approximately 70-75 minutes in performance.

The theme must always remain audible even in the most complex variations. Rzewski's own recordings offer an essential guide to the balance between political directness and pianistic sophistication. The final pages require extraordinary stamina and emotional commitment. Do not rush the restatements of the theme; they are the structural pillars of the work.