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. The first volume of the Henle Urtext edition containing Beethovens collected piano variations opens with the first work that was published under his name, the Dressler Variations WoO 63, written in 1782, and extends to the Variations on a Melody from Peter Winters opera Das unterbrochene Opferfest from the year 1799.

Apart from WoO 63 and a further cycle (WoO 65), Beethoven had all of these pieces initially printed in Vienna, but without any opus numbers. Yet they are little masterpieces overflowing with seductive harmonies, rich sonorities, layers of finely elaborated tunes and the sheer enjoyment of cultivated music-making.

• Beethoven: 10 Variations on La stessa, la stessissima by Salieri WoO 73
• Beethoven: 12 Variations on a Russian Dance by Wranitzky WoO 71
• Beethoven: 12 Variations WoO 68
• Beethoven: 13 Variations on Es war einmal ein alter Mann by Ditters von Dittersdorf WoO 66
• Beethoven: 24 Variations on Venni Amore by Righini WoO 65
• Beethoven: 6 Variations on Nel cor pi non mi sento by Paisiello WoO 70
• Beethoven: 6 Variations on a Swiss Song WoO 64
• Beethoven: 7 Variations on Kind willst du ruhig schlafen by Winter WoO 75
• Beethoven: 8 Variations on Une fivre brlante by Grtry WoO 72
• Beethoven: 9 Variations on Quant’ pi bello from La Molinara by Paisiello A major WoO 69
• Beethoven: 9 Variations on a March by Dressler (first version) WoO 63