PAGANINI – Variations (on One String) on a theme of Rossini (1818) – 5 CELLOS (SOLOIST and QUARTET, or accompanied by Cello Orchestra)

Other Identification:
This famous work of Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) is commonly known as Variations on One String or the ‘Moses’ Variations. It is indeed a set of variations on the 4th string of the violin, and uses for its inspiration the theme “Dal tuo stellato soglio” from ‘Moses in Egypt’ of Rossini. It does not have an opus number but was composed by a Paganini in maturity as a violinist-composer in 1818/19, coming roughly contemporary with the first violin concerto, the 24 caprices, and the last group of guitar quartets. It can be heard with orchestral or piano accompaniment, usually the second case today. Solo cellists have also taken to this work fondly, for although the distances on one cello string are very visually impressive, it can never-the-less be delivered with aplomb.


David Johnstone now makes a personal working for accompanying cello orchestra in four voices to support the solo cellist (or even solo violinist for that matter!) – and although he never makes a harmonic change to the original and neither changes the writing in the soloist line, this re-working for cello orchestra should sound convincing. It is intended to be both more ‘cellistic’ and ‘orchestral’ than the usual piano accompaniment. However, this piano score should be used if a conductor is employed for larger forces; it should be fairly easy to ascertain how the cello orchestra is ‘orchestrated’. But I imagine that in most cases the solo cellists can quite comfortably direct the group from his/her playing position. Therefore, the piece also works perfectly well as a cello quintet; that is to say, cello soloist and accompanying quartet. In larger ensemble performances the few double-stoppings can be made divisi at will.