Written in 1806, the work consists of an eight-bar main theme and 32 variations. A chord progression in the left hand, based upon a descending chromatic bass, serves as an important structural device. The short and sparse melodic theme, as well as the emphasis on the bass line, reflect a possible influence of the chaconne and the Folia. The variations have been called "Beethoven’s most overt pianistic homage to the Baroque." The variations differ in character, technical difficulty and dynamics. Pianist Yue Chu points out that the key of C-minor indicates that "Beethoven was serious when composing this work," despite his apparent misgivings later.

32 Variations in C minor [00:00]
Theme [00:05]
Var. I [00:23]
Var. II [00:35]
Var. III [00:47]
Var. IV [01:00]
Var. V [01:12]
Var. VI [01:26]
Var. VII [01:39]
Var. VIII [01:54]
Var. IX [02:10]
Var. X [02:29]
Var. XI [02:45]
Var. XII [03:02]
Var. XIII [03:21]
Var. XIV [03:38]
Var. XV [03:56]
Var XVI [04:12]
Var. XVII [04:30]
Var. XVIII [04:47]
Var. XIX [05:03]
Var. XX [05:17]
Var. XXI [05:30]
Var. XXII [05:43]
Var. XXIII [05:58]
Var. XXIV [06:14]
Var. XXV [06:26]
Var. XXVI [06:39]
Var. XXVII [06:52]
Var. XXVIII [07:07]
Var. XXIX [07:24]
Var. XXX [07:38]
Var. XXXI [08:00]
Var. XXXII [08:15]

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