In variations of that era, themes were often taken from popular operas and other sources. The theme of this work is from an arietta in Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf's (1739-99) Singspiel Das Rotkäppchen (Little Red Riding Hood), which was performed in Bonn in 1791-92. He was a violinist and composer active in Vienna.

The theme's irregular length of 37 measures is due to the inclusion of a one-measure pause and four interlude-like measures. It is particularly interesting to observe how this section is handled in the variations; however, harmonically, only the 12th variation differs from the theme. Overall, the work avoids tonal and harmonic intricacies, establishing a stable foundation.

However, regarding rhythm, many ingenious devices are evident. If the rhythm threatened to become repetitive, the time signature was changed to 6/8 or 4/4, leading to frequent meter changes from the 5th variation onwards. Furthermore, tempo markings and instructions requesting changes in character, such as "Capriccio" and "Marcia vivace," also contribute to the diversity of the variations.