Beethoven's 32 Variations WoO 80 are evidently an experiment: The theme is only 8 measures long, and so are the variations except for the last. Remaining constant are the time signature, key signature, tempo indication, and harmonic outline.
In other words, WoO 80 is a chaconne.
The most famous chaconne is undoubtedly Bach’s from the Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin, but in composing the WoO 80 variations / chaconne, Beethoven seems to have been more familiar with Handel’s harpsichord Chaconne in G Major, HMV 442, which has 62 eight-measure variations.
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32 Variations on an Original Theme (WoO 80), 1806
Trudelies Leonhardt performing on an early 19th century pianoforte
The WoO 80 variations are generally considered to be organized in groups, although there is no consensus on the precise grouping. In his biography of Beethoven, William Kinderman lists the following: (1–3), (7–8), (10–11), (12–14), (15–16), (19–22), (26–27), (31–32).
The WoO 80 variations have a single tempo indication of Allegretto, and then suggestions for individual variations such as “leggiermente” (“lightly”) and “staccato sempre,” but pianists generally choose to vary the tempo between variations considerably.
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32 Variations on an Original Theme (WoO 80), 1806
These variations are popular among younger pianists, as a YouTube search reveals. I like this one by St. Petersburg-born Anastasia Sokolova, who was 16 or 17 at the time
WoO 80 contains some difficult polyrhythms in its 31st and 32nd variations. Groups of 7 play against two groups of 4, and then groups of 7 play against two groups of 5. This image is from the first edition.
Thayer-Forbes has an anecdote about the older Beethoven not recognizing the WoO 80 variations when played by a young pianist, and then calling them “nonsense.” I have chosen not to repeat that anecdote because it belittles this fascinating work.
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32 Variations on an Original Theme (WoO 80), 1806
I try to avoid posting YouTube videos prefaced by ads, but through the power of his performance, Glenn Gould personally requested that I make an exception.