6 Variations (First Edition) C major Wq 118,5
Variations Piano solo
In brief

This set of variations in C major feels lively yet refined, alternating short motifs with lyrical replies that require clear articulation to preserve the dance-like character without making the line hard. On the technical side, pay attention to Nuances (2.5/5) by working small dynamic shifts and subtle inflections between variations to achieve contrast without breakage, and to Legato (2.5/5) which demands precise finger connections and controlled hand releases to sustain melodic continuity in singing passages. Within C. P. E. Bach's output this piece belongs to his keyboard variation repertoire and exemplifies his interest in expressive variety within compact forms. I do not suggest a reference recording because I am not 100% certain of a widely recognized interpretation for this specific work.

MusicCoach difficulty
32/100
Elementary
Likely range : 24–41/100
Confidence : 55% · fair confidence
BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedVirtuoso
Exam grade
About grade 3

Estimated from our difficulty score, not taken from an exam syllabus. Checked against 333 works on the ABRSM syllabus: the exact grade is right 7 times out of 10, and within one grade 99 times out of 100.

Difficulty estimate by MusicCoach on a scale of 1 to 100.

Where this work sits
050100

Most works cluster between 45 and 65: a small score gap often marks a real step. The highlighted bar shows this work among those for the same instrument.

The MusicCoach difficulty measures a work's overall demands (technique, reading, stamina) on a shared 0-100 scale, consolidated from editorial and pedagogical reference points (Henle, exam syllabuses, curation) and our own analyses. It measures neither musical value nor the practice time YOU will need: two musicians of the same level can experience the same work very differently depending on their strengths (hands used to octaves, quick sight-reading…). The confidence reflects how many reference points sit behind the score and how well they agree — a lightly documented score is flagged “to validate”. For a truly personal bearing, the diagnostic and your space compare each work to YOUR estimated level, which the score alone cannot do.

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Difficulty sources
Henle Verlag
3
28/100 normalised
Relative difficulty
6%
Among Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
23%
Era
4%
Genre
Estimated skills
Technique
Legato
1
Interpretation
Dynamics
1
What to play next?

Each suggestion combines difficulty gap, risk, confidence and skill overlap. The first two cards in each column are the most useful pedagogically.

See the whole progression