Foreword 

Contemporary composers may well look enviously upon Dmitri Kabalevsky (born in St. Petersburg, 1904, now living in Moscow) for his ability to write simply but with solid substance. Everything he creates is not only substantial, but appeals to children and adolescents because of its sincerity and imaginative color. The Five Sets of Variations may well serve as models for all young students of com-position. They are also delightfully pianistic, warmly effective, and young people love to play them. The sub-titles and metronomic suggestions are mine. Through all the sets I hold the variations to the tempo set at the beginning, except where the composer himself directs a change of pace. Variations offer excellent, concentrated technical and interpretive material to stu-dents of all grades and ages. Unfortunately so few sets exist which appeal to young people and are uncomplicated enough for them to play. Therefore, these Kabalevsky sets are life-savers for the teacher. Not only that, but at least three of the sets are so amusing and "mature" that concert artists will not be able to resist playing them. 

Guy Maier 

Contents 

Page Set 1. Five Happy Variations on a Russian Folksong ........................... 4 Set 2. Merry Dance Variations on a Russian Folksong ......................... 7 Set 3. "Gray Day" Variations on a Slovakian Folksong ......................... 10 Set 4. Seven Good-Humored Variations on a Ukrainian Folksong ................ 15 Set 5. Six Variations on a Ukrainian Folksong ................................ 20 

Each set also published separately 

DMITRI KABALEVSKY 

Five Sets of Variations, Op. 51 

FOR PIANO 

Edited with annotations by Guy Maier 

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