I remember listening to the variations album over and over when I was young, It came out when I was just 5 your old. I guess my late father bought it and I became obsessed. I Just bought the album again 33 years later and know the whole thing off by heart and am flooded with some great memories. Many thanks to the Webber's and all evolved for this fantastic album.
20 years ago I owned an Andrew Lloyd Webber's collection that included this song. It was one of my favorites. Thank you for posting this. It is great to hear and see.
I danced to Variations in a ballet performance when I was six. I will never forget it.... Years later when I got back into musicals, I found this song and I remembered it. It remains one of my favourite classical/rock interpretations - ever. Julian is a fascinating cellist.
On of my all time favorite tunes and a personal favorite version :). Also it's great to hear there are 13 and 14 year old who enjoy this sort of music. Can't say rap is one of my favorite types of music either.
Sadly Julian has this week announced that he has had to give up playing due to a disc problem in his neck which has an effect on the strength in his right (bow) arm. However he will continue to conduct and, thanks to posts like this one, we can still appreciate the genius at his best :)
I have the whole album of Variations on pristine vinyl. It's the best thing Andrew has ever done... SERIOUSLY! Try to get hold of it... it's brilliant!
My 13 year old daughter has been playing the cello for two years now, but promised yesterday to learn to play Variations for me. She must have been serious, because she went looking for a video of it being played just hours after we listened to it on Andrew's "Now and Forever" compilation. This version is stunning, and Julian is definitely a master cellist. Now I just need to find some sheet music for her!
Great piece of music from back in the days when you didn't have to be good looking to have a hit, but you did need to be able to play an instrument or three. Bring those days back, please.
To be quite honest, I've always thought the original recording of this piece "Variations 1-4" (on the Premiere Collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber cd) was complete (even though I thought it didn't showcase enough of Julian's talent. It was more 80s techno music, than Julian's playing). But on this clip, you get to see more of Julian's playing and the un-cut version of the piece. :D Needless to say, I love both the piece and Julian's intrepretation of it. Thank you for posting this.
It was also on the original Variations CD that was released back before it was added to the musical "Song and Dance" and also on the "Premiere Collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber".
I have this on CD and did my homework to this for ages loved it ab fab and of course two members here went on to compose the theme for Jack Frost which is also brilliant
aaagggghhh!! i have been looking for a copy of this version for yeaars!. i heard this version on a Rainbow episode 6 years ago and loved it, got paganini CD and South bank show theme but found out it wasent those, heard Mr Lloyd webber did a version, suspected that was it and it is wheee Thanks for uploading this!.
Yes, Andrew Lloyd Webber did write this piece. Actually he lost a bet to Julian (his brother) and the price was that he had to write a piece for cello and rock band. It's inspired by Paganini's Caprice #24 for violin. I greatly recommend giving the "original" version a listen as well. :) Gives you a better idea of just what geniuses these brothers are.
Good to hear that again. I'm not a huge fan of ALW, but the Variations album I think is superb. The piece used for The Book Tower with Tom Baker is fabulous. Thanks for posting this.
My niece and nephews LOVE this song... "...can you play 5 ... 6 ... please?" (CD 5, song 6 from Premiere Collection). Especially my nephew who is 9 and he asked if I can get the sheet music for him. He has been playing piano for about a year and he's pretty good. His sister who is 11 has been playing piano for about 6 years ... quite advance. So.. I'm going have them play this song together on the electric piano and the variations of musical instruments.. ;). I found this sheet music.
An excellent piece, both in its original form and this updated version. I love the attempts to marry up Classical with rock/pop/beat and this is one of the best examples of the genere.. Go have a listen to Mocking Bird by Barclay James Harvest. Light rock and a 40 piece syphony orchestra.. Truly brilliant!
Guess one needs to understand the variations world. Thomas5452000 is exactly right-the theme is the Paganini Caprice 24 (and is the reason for the video post of Yo Yo Ma-listen to the song-it is the theme-written before ALW was a thought. Now-this song as noted are variations on a theme by paganini by ALW. Just like Mozart's var on twinkle twinkle little star-that is the theme-the actrual song building on theme is the title-Variations on a theme by . ..
