Variations in B flat minor Op. 3 date from 1901-03, the time when Szymanowski studied under Zygmunt Noskowski in Warsaw. Szymanowski dedicated them to his friend and great pianist, Arthur Rubinstein. Besides the beautiful melody, the Variations are set apart by their fidelity to traditional, nineteenth-century principles of form construction. While "romantic in style", they boast a bold harmony which at times becomes heavily chromatic and dissonant, as in Variation No. 3 - Andantino, quasi tempo di mazurka.
Despite its academic character, the theme with twelve variations remains widely popular with the pianists. Having featured in the repertoires of Witold Małcużyński and Felicja Blumental, it is also played by our contemporary - Rafał Blechacz, the winner of the 2005 edition of the Chopin Competition, and has been recorded by him for CD Accord.
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