ABSTRACT
Analysing the place and role of variation technique in Frederic Chopin’s works entails following its manifestations in relation to all the elements of a work, both micro- and macrostructures. Chopin uses variation technique to build sections of a work in which the static character resulting from the principle of repetition acts to varying extent, but is never entirely eliminated. In the nocturnes, variation areas appear towards the end of a section or of a whole work, anticipating closure by bringing the motion to a halt whilst at the same time delaying that closure. The frequency of the variations of microstructures and their placement within a work, as well as the means employed in them, depends largely on the genre. Variations of microstructures affect the shape of larger segments, especially in miniature works, in which simple periods and even smaller units constitute the basis on which the sections of a work are built.
