Artem Yasynskyy performs Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Book 1, op. 35

Artem Yasynskyy, 2014 Bachauer Bronze Medalist, performs Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Book 1, op. 35.

Johannes Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Paganini, composed in 1863, comprises two separate sets of variations based on the Caprice No. 24 in A Minor by Paganini for solo violin.

It is well known for its emotional depth and technical challenges. David Dubal describes it as "a legend in the piano literature," and "fiendish," "one of the most subtly difficult works in the literature." Clara Schumann called it Hexenvariationen (Witch's Variations) because of its difficulty.

“It seems to me,” wrote the American art critic James Huneker in 1899, “that the pièce de résistance of the Brahms piano music is the Paganini Variations; those famous, awesome, o’ertoppling, huge, fantastic, gargoylean variations erected, planned and superimposed by Brahms upon a characteristic theme of Paganini. . . . To play them requires fingers of steel, a heart of burning lava and the courage of a lion.”

Ukrainian pianist Artem Yasynskyy began the serious study of music at age seven when he became a pupil at the Special School for Gifted Children in Donetsk. He gave his first public concert a year later. In 2006 he was awarded a scholarship to the Prokofiev State Academy of Music, graduating in 2010 with Honors. In 2018 he received his Master’s Degree at the Hochschule für Künste in Bremen, Germany, where he now serves on the faculty.

In addition to winning the Bronze Medal in the 2014 Bachauer competition, Mr. Yaskynskyy has won prizes in Top of the World International Piano Competition, Cincinnati World Piano Competition, First German Piano Competition of Polish Music, and Sendai International Music Competition.

His appearances at multiple international music festivals and concert engagements have taken him to Canada, USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Greece, Norway, Russia and Germany.

Artem Yasynskyy’s first CD with works by Joseph Hofmann was released in 2015. His second CD of Scarlatti Sonatas was released in January 2018.