This work was written for the Queen Elisabeth Competition (BE) as a compulsory piece for the semi-finals (May 15-20, 2017), including broadcast on national television and radio.
As the title suggests, this work is based on the old variation form, the Chaconne. The basic principle of a chaconne consists of a harmonic sequence that is repeated repeatedly, each time supporting a different melodic line. The form is continuous; there is no clear thematic conclusion to clearly separated variations, but rather a continuously repeated pattern. This creates a unity that is less evident in the traditional theme-with-variation form.
The work opens with a sequence of twelve chords on which the further course of the piece is based. This offers every performer the opportunity to emphasize a personal artistic vision in each variation and to outline the contrasting technical playing techniques.
For the listener, this chaconne offers a dual experience: on the one hand, an unconsciously palpable recognition of the underlying coherence of the variations, and on the other, a constant surprise due to the non-tonal and therefore much less recognizable musical material than in a classical chaconne.