Beethoven's “Turkish March” is a piece that piano students are likely to encounter at least once. This appellation stems from the fact that the same theme was later repurposed by the composer himself in the fourth movement, “Turkish March,” of his incidental music The Ruins of Athens (1811).

The theme features a powerful rhythm reminiscent of Turkish military music, with an emphasis on the first beat. The six variations based on this theme comprise those that maintain a thick chordal texture and those that develop around linear melodies. Precisely because the theme possesses a simple harmonic structure, the inclusion of variations with contrasting atmospheres, such as the latter type, significantly enhances the work's appeal.