Six Variations Op.76

Description

Six variations on a theme of his own, written in 1809. Two years later Beethoven used the same theme again, as the Turkish March in the incidental music for The Ruins of Athens, and it is in that form that it became widely known — one of his instances of reusing his own material elsewhere.

In D major, a plain march-like theme is followed by six variations. The theme has no ornament and simple harmony, but the figuration grows finer as the variations proceed, and partway through a turn to the minor changes the character entirely. In the last variation the theme returns in full confidence to close the work. Some 3,100 notes fill about five minutes.

It is rated intermediate because the individual variations are short and the technical demands spread out. The task is drawing each variation's character apart. The same theme is heard six times, and an unvarying tone will tire the listener. Do not let the volume rise simply because the note density does, and lower the colour for the minor variation. It is a good piece for learning how variations are handled.

Works written in theme-and-variations form, where a single melody is transformed in many different ways.