13983 / 18210 · Workshop 108 — Composing Form: Turning Good Phrases into a Complete Piece Through Repetition, Contrast, Return, Development, and Long-Range Memory← prev⊞ allnext →
108.61Level 39 — theme and variations
For original composition:
write a strong self-contained theme first.
Then vary:
- harmony
- meter
- mode
- rhythm
- texture
The better the theme, the more transformation it tolerates.