Though 18 piano sonatas is a respectable amount for any composer, Mozart also left almost as many – namely 15 – variation cycles. Variations on popular themes, but also on original tunes, were a kind of fashion craze back then, and Mozart made his contribution in this field as well.Certainly, financial considerations played a role here, after all, fashionable items sell well. Thus Mozart’s variations, in contrast to his piano sonatas, were all published during his lifetime. The fact that these were articles of taste did not mean that they were not of the finest quality, especially with Mozart. In these variations, a wealth of imagination and stylish elegance come together for joyful music-making. One should not underestimate them, but simply take pleasure in these wonderful works.

8 Variations on a Dutch Song KV Anh. 206 (24) - 7 Variations on Willem van Nassau D major KV 25 - 6 Variations on Mio caro Adone KV 180 (173c) - 12 Variations on a Minuet KV 179 (189a) - 9 Variations on the Ariette Lison dormait KV 264 (315d) - 12 Variations on Ah, vous dirai-je Maman KV 265 (300e) - 8 Variations on a March from Les Mariages Samnites KV 352 (374c) - 12 Variations on La belle Françoise KV 353 (300f) - 12 Variations on the Romance Je suis Lindor KV 354 (299a) - 6 Variations on Salve, tu Domine KV 398 (416e) - 10 Variations on Unser dummer Pöbel meint KV 455 - 12 Variations on an Allegretto KV 500 - 6 Variations on an Allegretto KV 54 (547b) - 9 Variations on a Minuet by Duport KV 573 - 8 Variations on Ein Weib ist das herrlichste Ding KV 613 - Appendix: - 8 Variations on Come un'agnello KV 460 (454a) - Theme and two Variations KV 460 - 6 Variations on the Final Theme of the Clarinet Quintet KV 581 KV Anh. 137