Variations for Cello and Piano on "See the conqu'ring hero comes" from Händel's Judas Maccabaeus, WoO 45, along with his first two Cello Sonatas, Op. 5, were written during the young Beethoven’s visit to Berlin in 1796. At this point Beethoven had just made his first public debut as a pianist and completed his studies with Joseph Haydn and Johann Georg Albrechtsberger in Vienna. Inspired by the virtuoso cellist brothers Jean-Pierre and Jean-Louis Duport, the choice of the cello to pair with piano in this set of twelve variations was also influenced by King Friedrich Wilhelm II who was an amateur cellist.

This famous chorus from Händel’s oratorio Judas Maccabaeus is often known as the Easter hymn Thine Be the Glory and a tune used in the Suzuki String Method today. Each of the twelve variations has a distinctive character. The incessant triplets drive the fast seventh variation, whereas the eleventh variation is probably the longest slow movement Beethoven has written for the cello and piano until his last Cello Sonata, Op. 102 No. 2.

The cello quartet transcription highlights the imitative counterpoint and delightful musical conversations found frequently in these variations. Passages from the original piano part that are too high for the cello have been transposed down one or sometimes two octaves. The cello part from the original cello-piano version is kept intact, now shared among the four different cello parts. Original slurs and articulation markings are kept as much as possible, while fingerings and bowings by the arranger are added. Dotted lines are used for slurs that are editorial.

-Ka-Wai Yu