Seven Variations on Willem van Nassau

A public tune, a personal touch

Leopold Mozart described Willem van Nassau as a tune heard everywhere in Holland. That familiar-song character is a useful starting point for these seven variations. In the theme, the melody alternates sustained notes with shorter, ornamented gestures, while a measured bass supports its four-beat movement. The challenge is to keep that directness without giving every note the same weight.

Find a natural shape for the ornaments

Play the tune first without trying to make its trills spectacular. Notice the notes to which each ornament leads and the quiet space at the ends of phrases. Then compare the theme with a variation: what has changed in the hand’s movement, and what still belongs to the original song? Use the bass to keep your place while the upper line changes.

Music in this edition

1. Seven Variations on Willem van Nassau