Theme with Six Variations in Classical Style

About

Paul Schramm was an Austrian refugee who arrived in New Zealand in 1939. He and his wife, Diny, were both concert pianists. They had first tried to settle in Indonesia but found the heat and humidity oppressive, so they came to New Zealand. This work was written in 1938 for the local orchestra, the Toonkunst Bataria, in Indonesia and premiered by them on April 12, 1938, shortly before the Schramms’ departure.

According to the original programme note, the work is ‘intended to paint a picture in sound of ‘the Joys and Sorrows of an amateur orchestra…’ where a ‘difference of opinion can be roused’. The first variation shows that ‘the orchestra can play together nicely when they listen to each other.’ The second variation is about the orchestra showing what it can do, but things start to go wrong in the third variation. The oboe, the flute and the trumpet all try to begin the Minuet, but each plays a wrong note. They cautiously try again. The bass drum gets impatient and interrupts before the trombone, which also shows impatience. Then the Minuet finally gets going. The fourth variation shows the orchestra’s strict committee. Schramm writes that the fifth variation is ‘not entirely classical’. The Finale again starts over a protest from the trombone before all ends happily.

Programme note courtesy of Michael Vinten.