Following Alban Berg, Anton Webern is the second composer of the Second Viennese School to be included in the Henle catalogue. Webern’s music is known for its extreme brevity and strict organisation. A performance of the Variations op. 27 lasts even shorter than ten minutes – a short period of time during which the audience experiences true extremes.

Webern rehearsed the piece with several pianists, which resulted in surprisingly emotional aids to interpretation being handed down. Having consulted all of the available sources, editor Ullrich Scheideler now presents the reviewed musical text and furthermore documents the work’s complex genesis and Webern’s insightful instructions regarding its performance. A classic of modern music, now also available in Henle blue.