Variations for Piano, Op. 27 (Webern)

Webern's only published work for solo piano, composed 1935-1936. Three movements: I. Sehr massig (Very measured): a strict mirror-symmetric movement in which every gesture is reflected at the axis of symmetry; II. Sehr schnell (Very fast): a rapid scherzo of tiny, accentuated gestures; III. Ruhig fliessend (Calmly flowing): a set of canonic variations built on the twelve-tone row. Together they last about six minutes. The work's extreme economy and perfect formal organisation made it the touchstone for post-war composers (Boulez, Stockhausen) who sought to extend serial organisation from pitch to all musical parameters.

Webern's own tempo and dynamic markings in Op. 27 are extremely precise and must be followed exactly: each deviation from the written dynamics or articulation disturbs the formal symmetry. The silences (rests) are structural: they should be measured, not merely observed. The work should sound inevitable, not arbitrary. Study Eduard Steuermann's analysis with Webern's own annotations before preparing a performance.