After her marriage, Clara's creative activities were mostly limited to Christmas or birthday occasions, due to her father no longer encouraging her to compose, the significant time she spent on housework and childcare, and above all, her dedication to performing and promoting her husband's music. This set of variations is no exception, having been written for Robert's birthday. On the dedication score, written on decorated paper and neatly tied with a ribbon as a birthday gift, Clara did not forget to add her usual apologetic remark: "To my beloved husband. June 8, 1853. Again, from your Clara, I present this feeble attempt." However, who could have imagined that this birthday in 1853 would be the last one she would spend with her family?

From a beautiful yet melancholic theme in F-sharp minor, seven variations of almost equal length unfold, excluding the final variation. While the harmonies change diversely, various embellishments are applied, and polyphonic textures are employed, the main melody of the theme is played in almost its original form in one of the voices, regardless of how it is varied.

Incidentally, on the same Robert Schumann theme, Brahms also composed a set of variations, Op. 9, dedicating it to Clara immediately after the birth of Felix on June 11, 1854. In the 10th variation (measures 265-267) of this work, Brahms quoted a melody from Clara's early work, Romance and Variations, Op. 3 – a piece that Robert also used as Impromptus on a Romance by Clara Wieck, Op. 5 – to express his gratitude to the Schumann couple. Presumably inspired by this, Clara also wove this melody into the inner voice of the coda of her final variation, which modulates to F-sharp major, just before its publication (measures 202-225). Their two works based on Robert's theme were published simultaneously by Breitkopf & Härtel in November 1854, at Brahms's request.