6 Variations in F Major, Op. 34

Like the “Eroica Variations” op. 35, the Variations op. 34, were composed in 1802 on an original theme. The “new fashion” Beethoven declared for both works to his publisher becomes apparent in opus 34 through the constant change of keys; from one variation to the next, new tone colors and moods continue to unfold, spanning the pastoral and the funereal, while the melody of the theme remains largely unaltered. For the first time, the Variations op. 34, are now available from Henle in a standalone edition. The musical text of the Urtext edition, with extensive foreword and commentary, was prepared on the basis of the later Critical Apparatus of the Beethoven Complete Edition. Here, too, the fingering comes from the esteemed hands of Ian Fountain.