"The highlight of the evening for the large audience was George Crumb's Variazioni for orchestra. Crumb proved himself second to none in his mastery of orchestral technique, and the orchestra responded brilliantly."

Lewis Rowell, Music Journal Annual, 1965

"How times have changed for George Crumb. The 1959 Variazioni, his first work for orchestra, had to wait six years -- until May 8, 1965, in Cincinnati, under Rudolf -- for its premiere. Today [1981], of course, Crumb is one of a handful of U.S. composers whose works can be guaranteed performances almost before the ink is dry.

"The Variazioni are embryonic Crumb: though carrying undeniable influences of Bartók (especially The Miraculous Mandarin), Berg, and Schoenberg, the music has frequent chamber-music transparency, sections of exotic instrumentation, and the use of free-form interludes in formal development, all prime features of the mature Crumb, post-1962. Structurally the work comprises an Introduction, followed by a Theme with six Variations and three interspersed Fantasias. The Introduction is built on a double signature pattern, derived from Crumb's own name and the name of a friend. The Theme uses a 12-tone row non-serially, with an A-A-B-A-B-Coda sequence. The Variations are, in turn, Antiphonal Piece, Toccata, Scherzo, Trio Estatico, Burlesca, and Ostinato. The three interrupting Fantasias are exotically prepared (for their day), with microtonal intervals, harmonics, novel performing techniques, and a dominant trio scored for mandolin, celeste, and harp. This is a rich, superb work."

Stephen W. Ellis, Fanfare, Nov.-Dec. 1981.