Brahms's Paganini Variations (for piano), Op.  35, consists of two books,
each with the theme and 14 variations, the last in each book being an
elaborated sort of coda.  Pianists typically perform both books together
in recital, usually mixing the order of the variations to fit their own
particular view of what would make a consistent whole, since simply playing
the two books end-to- end sounds, as someone said, like 'a tale told
twice'.

My questions:  What did Brahms want done, and what did he do himself?
Did he authorize the mix-and-match approach? Is there a 'standard'
mix-and-match order?

Scott Morrison