Passacaglia

In 1931, while I was still a student by Ottorino Respighi in Rome, I began to compose a “Partita” in 4 movements for orchestra, whose third movement should be a “Passacaglia”. From this work, I only finished the “Passacaglia” and the “Scherzo”…

In 1968, I took over the “Passacaglia” and transcribed it for organ without any modification, except the last 6 bars, I partially changed. In the shape of an arch, the work is based on a theme that is repeated thirteen times. Piano initially it evolves in crescendo to a climax in the 33rd bar, then falls gradually to a gently end.

My “Passacaglia” comes back again in “Intrada, Passacaglia, Saltarello” for wind ensemble, that I dedicated in 1982 to Philharmonistes de Châteauroux and to his conductor János Kömives. — Ferenc Farkas