Chopin composed only three sets of variations for solo piano (excluding collaborative works), all of which date from his youth.

This brilliant set of variations, composed in 1833, was the last of the three. As its title suggests, it is a virtuosic piece that showcases Chopin's fresh and brilliant sensibility. The theme is taken from the Rondo Favori "Je vends des scapulaires" (I sell scapulars) from the unfinished opera "Ludovic" by the French composer Hérold. It commences with a magnificent introduction and comprises a theme, four variations, and a coda.