Easy Variations on a Swiss Tune in F Major Form

In this post, we will talk about Theme and Variation form, Beethoven's Six Variations on a Swiss Song, WoO64 as a whole, and pedagogical strategies on teaching 3-voice texture in Variation III.

What is Theme and Variation?

Theme and Variation is a standard form of musical composition. With a theme and variation, the piece begins with a theme that is the main melody, followed by one or more variations of that melody. In music, a variation is a formal technique where material is repeated in an altered form. The changes may involve harmony, melody, counterpoint, rhythm, timbre, orchestration, or any combination of these. Examples include Brahms's Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56; Beethoven's Diabelli Variations; and Franck's Variations Symphoniques.

To approach advanced level pieces such as Bach's Goldberg Variations, BWV988; Beethoven's 32 Variations in C minor, WoO80; and Liszt's Grandes études de Paganini, S.141/6, Beethoven's Six Variations on a Swiss Folk Song, WoO64 is one of the best choices for late intermediate players to learn for the genre's pianistic sonority, nuance, and expression.

Six Variations on a Swiss Folk Song, WoO64

Six Variations on a Swiss Song, WoO64, Beethoven's second set of variations was composed during his last three years in Bonn (1790-2), which cannot be precisely dated. Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (1900-73) stated that these six variations are based on a Swiss folk tune that was very popular at that time, featuring the text "Es hätt e' Buur e' Töchterli."

The little Swiss tune that Beethoven used as the basis for this composition is very simple and attractive. The single-line melody is accompanied by an equally simple bass line, with both contrary and parallel motion harmonizations used as effective musical tools. Underlying its simplicity, however, is an interesting quirk: it is made up of unusual phrase lengths. Instead of the usual four-measure phrases, this tune is made up of two three-measure phrases answered by a phrase of five measures which ends very much as it begins.

Beethoven meticulously marks the various touches intended for the simple and pleasant F major theme: portato for the quarter notes and wedges for the half notes. In spite of the theme being detached throughout, it should flow smoothly and with a sense of continuity.

The theme structure, as well as the skeleton of the tune and its harmony, is maintained in all the six variations. Although the theme seems simple and straightforward, its variations are repleted with technical and musical challenges for one to tackle. These include a variety of touches such as legato, portato, and staccatissimo; melody and accompaniment played by the same hand; different and contrasting moods; a wide range of dynamics from p to ff; various rhythms; polyphony setting; 3-voice texture; triplets; octaves; runs; and double thirds.

Interestingly, variations I and II have no execution indications on neither of dynamics, nor of mood or character, nor of touch. In variation I, Beethoven introduces melody which is subjected to ornamentation with triplet intervallic and scalar patterns. The left hand plays triplet arpeggios when right hand pauses – thus creating conversation-like passages. The uninterrupted flow of triplets between both hands makes it easy to achieve a sense of continuity.

By contrast, variation II is marked by dotted rhythm. The right hand returns to the simple tune while left hand becomes a more significant partner as it moves in militant dotted note patterns, creating jerky, march-like accompanying rhythms. The performer has to be careful to maintain the melodic character of the theme played by the right hand against the left-hand's dotted rhythm.

In variation III, the original duet between soprano and bass returns to a 3-voice minor mode variation, with the disappearance of detached character in theme. Harmonic interest is added by the off-beat pedal note in the right hand. There is a repeat indicated for the final eight measures, found in this variation only. Delightfully, the first dynamic indication of the piece appears in this variation – sempre piano e legato – which suggests the variation to be clearly voiced in a soft and connected manner.

The sturdy variation IV returns to the major key and features octave doublings in the melody supported by broken triplets in the left hand. The melody calls for staccato and legato contrasts. Both melody and accompaniment are submerged in florid patterns of eighth and sixteenth notes in variation V. As in the theme, the voices move in contrary as well as parallel directions.

An artistic challenge is presented by the dialogue of two independent lines in finale variation. This variation creates drama by using double octaves, quick passage work, sudden dynamic shifts (between ff and p), and trills. A brief coda is added, building upon the scalar theme in two succinct, compressed statements. The piece ends quietly and innocently, just like how it starts out softly and simply.

Pedagogical Strategies on Teaching 3-Voice Texture in Variation III

Beethoven's Six Variations on a Swiss Song, WoO64 is definitely a gem to learn in one's musical journey. As voicing is an important yet difficult element to learn, I would like to spend some time exploring variation III in this post as it consists of a 3-voice texture.

A 3-voice texture is officially three notes playing simultaneously, where each finger of a pianist was involved in contributing to the hierarchy of tonal priorities, so that the melody finger will be stronger than the other fingers playing on either harmony or bass.

There was one quote which I found interesting in 'The Art of Piano Playing':

It is very appropriate here to remember that Anton Rubinstein called the two fifth fingers "conductors" leading the music. The limits of sound (both upper and lower) are to music what the frame is to a picture, the slightest blurr (which is particularly frequent at the lower limit) in the bass results in a diffuse, shapeless picture; the musical composition then turns (as I sometimes tell my pupils) into either "a headless horseman," if the bass and harmony swallow the melody, or "a legless cripple" if the bass is too weak, or "a potbellied monster" if the harmony swallows both bass and melody… (Neuhaus, p. 74-5).

This memorable description reminds us to be extra careful on our sound and our control of textures and sonorities. Let's now apply this to our topic in 3-voice texture. If it was possible to put down the keys with equal key speed and acceleration, all notes wouldn't be heard equally as the natural acoustical properties of the piano would favor the lower notes. In fact, the lower the note, the greater the resonance. Hence to play a 3-voice texture, we are constantly needing to adjust our sound in order to bring out the melody line.

In variation III, the voice in the top layer plays an important role as melody line, forming a duet with the bass and accompanied by the alto. To help achieve proper voicing between two parts in the right hand and one part in the left hand, possible steps are provided as below. Throughout the steps, students should be careful to assure no tension is present in the upper part of right hand.

1. The teacher or student marks important thematic material in whatever voice it occurs (in this case, soprano) and the student practices only that material throughout the variation, using the correct hand and fingering.
2. After determining all voices – soprano, alto, and bass, each voice is practiced separately, using the correct hand(s), phrasing, articulation, ornaments, and fingerings.
3. During subsequent practice, voices are practiced in pairs: soprano/bass, soprano/alto, alto/bass, etc. One voice is played louder than the other and then the dynamics are reversed. This focuses the ear on the independence of the parts.
4. All voices are played together while the student imagines the parts as different instruments, such as a viola, clarinet, and cello.
5. The student experiments with contrasting touches between the voices or hands.
6. The teacher and student decides which voice is most important in each passage. Louder dynamics are applied to the melody line, followed by the bass and harmony notes.
7. The melody line is played more beautifully by making the other voices softer, instead of making the melody line louder.

When both parts are played equally loud, hearing each voice separately is extremely difficult. This phenomenon is unique to the piano. Two instruments with different timbres, such as a flute and cello, playing an octave apart at the same dynamic level could be heard equally well. By contrast, the piano's tone colors in its different registers do not contrast as much. In general, voices moving in parallel motion on the keyboard are more artistically played when one of the parts is played louder than the others.

Deliberate Practice for 3-Voice Texture: Miming

When students have variation III in hand, it will still need to be maintained and kept fresh. Instead of running through the variation, miming is a great practice tool for deliberate practice as it helps student to have better control of sound.

Miming is the act of deliberately preventing keys from speaking either by touching the surface of the key or by depressing it partially. This can be done for ear or finger training purposes. I have been teaching this method for years and I found it helpful to almost all of my students.

To illustrate:

• Student can play one hand as written while miming the other. This is beneficialfrom merely playing the one hand alone because the student is using nearly all the muscles and reflexes of the two-handed version. This is especially helpful for students to hear how controlled the harmony sound actuallyis.

• Play the melody line while miming the accompaniment which helps to develop independence of the fingers. It is useful to play the top first by itself before adding the mime, aiming to achieve exactly the same sound.

If you are interested in knowing more about pedagogical strategies on 3-voice texture in this variation III, below attached a YouTube clip which includes a brief demonstration and explanation of it.

Conclusion

Beethoven's Six Variations on a Swiss Song, WoO64consists of so many wonderful techniques and different articulations to work on. Hence it is a great challenge for pianist to not only be brilliant in fingers, but also in colors and in imagination. I hope you find this post helpful for your teaching or practice, especially on 3-voice texture. Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any question or concern.

Happy playing!

Bibliography

Camp, Max W. "Lesson Illustrations of the Teaching Philosophy" In Developing Piano Performance: A Teaching Philosophy, 151. Hinshaw Music, 1981.

Jacobson, Jeanine M. "Expressive and Artistic Interpretation and Performance" In Professional Piano Teaching, Volume 2: A Comprehensive Piano Pedagogy Textbook. Alfred Music, 2015.

Neuhaus, Heinrich. "On Tone" In The Art of Piano Playing, 74-75. New York: Barrie & Jenkins Ltd, 1973.

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