WoO 69 Variations (9) in A Major for Piano on “Quant’è bello L’amor contadino”, from L’amor contrastato ossia La Molinara by Paisiello, dedicated to Prince Carl Lichnowsky, second half of 1795, GA. n. 167 (series 17/6) – B. 179 – KH. (WoO)69 L. IV, p. 315/2/a – N. p. 155 – P. 60 – T. 35. NGA VII / 5 AGA 167 = Series 17/6.

The original manuscript is unknown. The theme is taken from a comic quintet in the second act of the opera.
Composition and Publication: Likely composed in the second half of 1795, the original edition was published by Traeg in Vienna in December of the same year.
The theme is derived from the opera L’amor contrastato ossia La Molinara by Giovanni Paisiello, first performed on 2 June 1795 at the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna. The advertisement for the original edition of the variations WoO 69, published by Johann Traeg on 30 December 1795 in the Wiener Zeitung, unequivocally marks the date of publication. The announcement reads: […] Diese Variationen sind ganz neu. Sie sind leicht, fließend und durchaus naif […] “[…] These variations are brand new. They are light, flowing, and quite naïve […]” (misquoted by Thayer for WoO 70, Thayer / 1865 p. 17).
In addition to his work as an art and music merchant, Traeg published his early printed works during this period (see Weinmann / Traeg pp. 17-19 and editorial appendix / Traeg). The original edition of WoO 69 appeared as Op. 2, and in subsequent editions, this was changed to “number 2”.
Theme: The subject is taken from the quintet Il villan che coltiva il giardino (Act II, Scene 5, Andante, A Major) from the comic opera L’amor contrastato by Giovanni Paisiello (1740-1816). The first performance took place in the autumn of 1788 at the Teatro dei Fiorentini in Naples, with a libretto by Giuseppe Palomba. In Vienna, it was performed on 13 November 1790 at the Burgtheater under the title La Molinara o sia L’amor contrastato. The opera remained in the repertoire of Vienna’s court theatres until 21 October 1792. It was revived on 2 June 1795 and, apart from the years 1804, 1807, and 1808, continued to be performed uninterruptedly until 1809 (see Hadamowsky / Hoftheater Part 1, p. 86). In 1794, Simrock in Bonn published a piano reduction arranged by Christian Gottlob Neefe (VN 13). J. C. Colo (Cappi, Vienna) and J. B. Cramer (Mollo, Vienna) also wrote piano variations on this theme (Wh I).
The first performance is not known, and the autograph has been lost. The first edition was published in December 1795 in Vienna by Giov. Traeg, PN 3. – Title: VARIAZIONI / della Thema / Quant’è più bello l’Amor contadino / Nell’Opera La Molinara / per il Piano-forte / composte e dedicate / A SUA ALTEZZA IL SIGNORE / PRINCIPE CARLO DI LICHNOWSKY / DEL SIGNORE / LUIGI VAN BEETHOVEN / Op. II. / In Vienna presso Giov. Traeg. – Horizontal format. Title page (unprinted verso) and 7 pages. – Advertisement: Wiener Zeitung 30 December 1795. – Copies: A-Wn (Hoboken). – CZ-K. – D-LEm, LÜh. – US STum. – Reprint Florence 1987 (Archivum musicum. L’Arte del Fortepiano […] 4, 2).