Mahler Variations
by Greg Sandow

The third of my string quartets…just under half an hour long…variations on the opening theme of the last movement of Mahler’s Third Symphony. Each variation in its own musical style, often as a tribute to something I love, either music or something else. But when you hear the piece, it doesn’t seem complex. It’s expressive, from the rapt opening statement of the Mahler theme, to the pure, sad D minor chord at the close. And it flows so easily!

Score

Video of a performance

Program notes (coming)

Parts:

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Cello