Editing Diabelli Variations (section)

===Variation 2: ''Poco allegro''===

This variation was not part of Beethoven's first series but was added somewhat later. While it returns to {{music|time|3|4}} time after the preceding march, it echoes little of Diabelli's theme. It is delicate, with a hushed, tense atmosphere. The only markings are {{serif|'''''p'''''}} and ''leggiermente''. It moves in eighth notes, ''allegro'', the treble and bass rapidly alternating throughout the entire piece. Near the end, the tension is increased by [[syncopation]]s. Brendel suggests the delicacy of this variation by entitling it ''Snowflakes''. Beethoven diverges from Diabelli's structure of two equal parts, each one repeated, by omitting a repeat for the first part. [[Artur Schnabel]], in his famous recording, repeated the first part anyway.

::[[File:Diabelli Var02 full.jpg]]