Fartein Valen (1887-1952) was a Norwegian composer who was known as one of the most radical in his country. Although he started composing in a late Romantic style, he soon adopted his own style of atonality. He did not, however, adhere to the technique of twelve-tone music as announced by Arnold Schoenberg in the early 1920s. This set of variations is, in fact, the only one of Valen's compositions to use a pure tone row, or theme of twelve different notes. Even then, he uses it in his own way.

It is a seven or eight minute composition. The predominant mood is introverted, but near the end of the variations anger and assertiveness seem to grow, leading into a beautiful conclusion.

© Joseph Stevenson, Rovi