12 Variations on ‘Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman’ (‘Oh, mama, give me more’), K265/K300e

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

French:
Ah ! Vous dirais-je Maman
Ce qui cause mon tourment ?
Papa veut que je raisonne
Comme une grande personne
Moi je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.

English:
Oh! Shall I tell you, Mommy
What is tormenting me?
Daddy wants me to reason
Like a grown-up person,
Me, I say that sweets
Are worth more than reasoning

Here goes the popular nursery tune, which believed to appear in Frech around 1761. It is also believe that Mozart had composed it around 1781/1782, probably catching the tune when he earlier traveled to Paris.  It starts with the main introduction to the theme, followed by 12 variations, which includes a minor variation (No. VIII), which is rich in pronounced intensity of feeling. There has been speculation that these variations may have been composed for a student since there is much use of scales, arpeggios, and varying touches. Though it appears rather childlike innocent, it could be quite deceiving as some running passage is rather daunting for students. It is considered one of Mozart’s most charming and popular piece.