The integration of various levels of interpretation in the pianist's work process is especially relevant for performing a complex work of the piano repertoire. One such vertex piece is Rachmaninov’s Variations on a Theme of Chopin op. 22. This grand cycle is full of textural difficulties, mysterious meanings and deep implications. The analysis of the work demonstrates the mutual influences of Rachmaninov's composing and performing art, the author's model of the variation genre, the nature of texture and genre appeals to his own repertoire, the formation of typical features of creative style. The variation cycle is interesting for the model of the dramatic concept, the attempts of new stylistic combinations in the expressive means, the attitude to the style and styles-participants of postmodern dialogue. Genre and style interactions embodied in Variations at all levels of composer and performer interpretation. Rachmaninov invented special work models on texts that used by throughout all his composing art. The basis genre and the semantic of the primary source of Variations reveals many references to Rachmaninov's heritage, to art of his musical idols, to the "symbolic" intonations related to c minor (mourning procession, signs of fate) and C major (poetic of enlightenment and joy). Connection with tradition continues with a whole layer of hypothetical references to Rachmaninov's performance art. Each variation reveals clear allusions to certain works of his repertoire. The list of intonation correspondences covers works by Bach, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, Scriabin, Blumenfeld, and Tchaikovsky. The list of stylistic references complemented by intonation symbols: as motifs, figures and developing principles as lament and catabasis motives, baroque invention technique, etc. Rachmaninov works with Theme in a severe style in the first section of the cycle. He constructing a ”composition in an artistic manner peculiar to the author”. Second section and final are widely used techniques of free variation type with a distance to the prototype, enhancing stylistic contrast. The variant circle deploying on the principle of increasing distance from the primary source by figurative definition, genre and style metamorphoses, structural features. In the meantime, composer keep connection with the Chopin theme in each part of the cycle (sometimes only at the micro-intonational level). Rachmaninov created a symphonic poem for piano. Its scale, dynamics of unfolding, polyphonic plasticity and the beauty of piano colors inspirited by Chopin musical word. Therefore, Variations on a Theme of Chopin completes a number of variation masterpieces from beginning of XXth century.