🇩🇪Ludwig van Beethoven ： Variations WoO 66

This set of 13 variations is based on the arietta “Es war einmal ein alter Mann” from Dittersdorf’s Singspiel *Red Riding Hood*. Beginning with a familiar, songlike theme, the variations alter the treatment of figures, rhythms, registers, and ornamentation, giving the same melody a wide range of expressions. A central point of interest is hearing how each variation relates to the theme while following the overall progression. In performance, the theme should be presented clearly, with articulation, dynamics, and pedaling adjusted carefully to suit the character of each variation and bring out the ingenuity of the structure.