Variations on “God Save the King” and “Rule Britannia”

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Variations on “God save the King” and Variations on “Rule Britannia” for piano were published in 1803. Pianist Angela Hewitt remarks:

Concerning the 7 Variations on ‘God save the King’, WoO78, Beethoven made the comment that he wanted to ‘show the English what a blessing they have’ with that tune…. It makes a great theme for variations, and Beethoven has a lot of fun with it. If ever you needed proof of humour in his music, here it is.

Of the Variations on “God Save the King,” musicologist Norman Lebrecht notes,

Despite the rich revenues it generated for publishers, the popularity of Beethoven’s composition faded and is missed the cut for inclusion in the final catalogue of his works, hence the WithoutOpus number attached. In modern times it is seldom performed in major halls and has been commercially recorded no more than two dozen times, which I find a little surprising. Most of the extant recordings are by pianists of little renown.

And of the Variations on “Rule Britannia,” Mr. Lebrecht says:

This rousing exhortation was first heard in Alfred, a masque by Thomas Arne about Alfred the Great, the king who burned the cakes. It was performed to celebrate the accession of George II, with the aim of underlining this German ruler’s patriotic credentials, and it obtained popular appeal in 1745, at the same time as God Save the King was established as the national hymn. Beethoven found it musically less fertile and wrote half-length variations, although the tune returned to him unprompted with he was composing his Piano Sonata No. 24, Op. 78, “À Thérèse”. You will find it there in the second movement.

Enjoy!

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