VARIATIONS

in music, consist of transformations of a theme by changes in harmony, melody, rhythm, time, counterpoint; the same theme must persist throughout. An early form of v. merely introduced runs, grace-notes, and similar embellishments without any fundamental alterations; when the rhythm of each v. was systematically divided into quicker notes they were ealled Doubles, (e.g.) Handel's Harthe placing of a phrase in the ba and continual repetition thereof with new harmonies and ingenious counterpoint, was a form of vy. highly developed in the XVII. cent. In his Goldberg V.., etc., Bach was unrivalled until Beethoven, Hayden, Mozart, and Brahms practiced v.