Variations D Minor, Op. 94

Of the five works that Johanna Senfter wrote for viola and piano, the Variations op. 94, completed at the beginning of the 1940s, are certainly her most sophisticated composition in terms of harmony and counterpoint. Here she expertly combines chromatic density with a traditional but very customised form.

Senfter follows a solemn theme with five variations, alternating the most diverse characters. Pensive variations are contrasted by agraceful, fast waltz and a vivid scherzo. After a reminiscence of the opening theme, Johanna Senfter develops a complex fugue over 160 bars, which finally ends in a radiant B flat major.