Variations on both popular and original themes were a kind of “fashion accessory” during the days of Viennese classicism, and Beethoven also made his contribution to this genre, to be sure, financial reasons played a role here, as fashion articles sold well. Yet little by little, the principles and formal layout of the variation form assumed a central meaning for Beethoven.This second volume of the Henle Urtext edition featuring Beethoven’s complete piano variations contains, as it were, his “master variations.” Whereas two of his earlier variation cycles had ben published without an opus number, these were followed by opp. 34 and 35 – pieces which Beethoven mentioned in a letter to the publishing house Breitkopf & Härtel and which he felt were “crafted in an utterly new and different manner.” The most momentous works in this category are the 32 Variations in c minor WoO 80 and the celebrated Diabelli Variations op. 120, two pieces that count among the most important variation cycles ever written.

8 Piano Variations on "Tändeln und scherzen" by Süßmayr, WoO 76 -- 6 Easy Piano variations G major, WoO 77 -- 6 Piano Variations F major op. 34 -- 15 Piano Variations (with Fugue) E flat major op. 35 -- 7 Piano Variations on "God save the King", WoO 78 -- 5 Piano Variations on "Rule Britannia", WoO 79 -- 32 Piano Variations c minor, WoO 80 -- 6 Piano Variations D major op. 76 -- Diabelli Variations C major op. 120 -- Appendix: 9 Piano Variations on a March by Dressler (second version), WoO 63 -- Appendix: 8 Piano Variations on "Ich hab' ein kleines Hüttchen nur" Anh. 10