Exercises for Elise

11 Variations on Beethoven’s “Für Elise” for Children

Completion year

1995

Duration

8 min

Scored for

piano solo

Other titles

Vaje za Elizo / Übungen für Elise

About

Unlike classical ornamental or character variations, these eleven variations explore transformations of musical style. Each variation reimagines Beethoven’s theme through a different stylistic lens—drawing on distinct musical idioms, historical periods, or regional characteristics. The focus is therefore not on melodic decoration but on stylistic transformation, allowing the theme to appear in a variety of musical contexts while remaining recognizable.

Premiere

May 7, 1997. Kosovel Hall, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, performed by Martin Smerdel

Dedicated to

Martin Smerdel

Publishers

Ed.DSS 1557