Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 05/12/2004, uploaded on 05/02/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Known throughout the English-speaking world as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” the familiar tune on which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s set of variations is based actually comes to us from 18^th century France. Of unknown origin, the tune first appeared in print (without words) in Paris in 1761. It was originally believed that Mozart first heard the melody during the time he resided in Paris (an understandable assumption), placing the date of the composition during 1778. However, later analysis of the manuscript has suggested that Mozart composed the variations as early as 1781.

The French tune is stated in simple two-part harmony, allowing ample room for Mozart’s imagination to run free. Throughout each of the succeeding twelve variations, the harmony is enriched through the introduction of suspensions and chromatic chords. The variations also maintain the tune’s twenty-four-measure structure. In some, the melody itself is embellished, such as Variations I or III; in others, the tune is set against an embellished countermelody, such as Variation II or VI. Variations VIII (the only minor key variation) and IX introduce a brief point of imitation of the melody’s head motif, although in neither case does the imitation last more than a few bars. Variation XI slows the tempo to an Adagio and transforms the tune into a beautiful cantabile melody. The final variation shifts to triple meter and returns to an Allegro tempo. The tune, embellished with trills, is sounded over a tremolandi bass. After the completion of the melody, a brief coda of trills and scale passages brings the variations on such a beloved tune to an exciting close.      Joseph DuBose

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12 variations on Ah, vous dirai-je maman    

Mozart, one of the greatest-if not the greatest-keyboard performer of his time went to Paris in 1778 after his failure to find a position in Mannheim and Munich. He stayed in Paris for a few months, during which time his mother died, and he composed four sets of piano variations. The twelve variations on the theme Ah, vous dirai-je maman, K265 were composed in 1778 using the famous French melody, which English-speakers know as Twinkle, twinkle, little star.  Despite being in the inherently joyful key of C Major, the piece has an evident sadness, and the great depth of the variations go beyond the childlike melody. This melancholy is particularly noticeable in the one section in a minor key and in the slow variation. (Daniel del Pino)

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.