It is in February 1818 that Beethoven suggests to Thomson that he supply him with twelve themes and variations, for which he asks a hundred ducats. Thomson agrees, but by January 1819 complains that "Our Scotch ladies can't surely be as strong as yours", as one of the best players has had to give up the Tirolese themes in despair. By March 1819 Beethoven's patience is exhausted. Thomson had asked for some simplification of the themes and variations. Beethoven's reply was direct: "Vous écrivez toujours facile, très facile - je m'accomode tout mon possible, mais - mais -mais" ("You always write easy, very easy - I try to accommodate you as much as I can, but - but - but"). The correspondence comes to an end in the following year, when Thomson complains that the variations, for which he has paid £94, have not sold well and he would be willing to part with them for sale in Vienna. In the event, the variations were sold in 1830 for £50 to Paine and Hopkins in London.

In 1819, Thomson in Edinburgh and Preston in London had published Twelve National Airs with Variations for the Piano and an Accompaniment for the Flute. In the event only three of a projected four volumes were published, the six variations of Op. 105 and Nos. 2, 6 and 7 of Op. 107. In 1819 Artaria in Vienna published Op. 105 as Six Thèmes Variés bien faciles à exécuter pour Piano-Forte seul ou avec accompagnement d'une Flûte ou d'un violon (ad libitum) (Six Varied Themes easy to play for the Pianoforte alone or with accompaniment of flute or violin, ad lib).

The first collection of themes and variations starts with The cottage maid, described as a Welsh song and, in Beethoven's setting of Welsh airs, given words by Thomson's collaborator William Smyth, Professor of History at Cambridge. The theme, marked Andantino quasi Allegretto, is followed by a variation for piano alone and a second variation with a left-hand triplet semiquaver accompaniment. The third variation is straightforward, leading to a tonic minor contrapuntal version of the theme and a brief conclusion. The second piece, Von edlem Geschlecht war Shinkin (Of noble stock was Shinkin), described as a Scottish air, its theme marked Allegretto scherzoso, is in C minor, with answering phrases, continued in the first variation and the second. The third is a major key Allegretto, capped by a final return to the minor key, an Allegro, the theme in canon between the lower keyboard part and the flute, with a continuing right-hand trill on the keyboard. The Austrian A Schüsserl und a Reindl (A dish and a pot is all my kitchenware), in C major, with the direction Andantino quasi Allegretto, allows additional ornamentation for the flute in the repeated sections of the melody and its six variations the fifth of which is a minor key Adagio, followed by a sixth, Andante con moto. The last rose of summer, a traditional Irish melody for which Thomas Moore supplied the now familiar words, is in E flat. Its first variation, originally for piano alone, is here aptly augmented by the flute, which, in the second variation, bears the melody over a semiquaver keyboard accompaniment, with the third variation accompanied by rapid piano figuration, before an unusual twist in the closing bars. The fifth theme, the traditional Irish jig Chiling O'Guiry, marked Allegro spiritoso, allows some freedom of interpretation in its first variation, followed by a variation with rapid keyboard figuration and crossing of hands, with a final variation in duple meter. Still in Ireland, Paddy whack has the tempo direction Allegretto piuttosto vivace and is in D major, its second variation allowing the flautist to add figuration echoing that of the piano. The third variation switches to B-flat major, the original key triumphantly restored in the fourth version of the theme.

Writer: Keith Anderson