If only Beethoven's elaborations on “Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen” hadn't been as wild and Mozart's theme so unapproachable, a reviewer in 1799 might have found reason to praise the variation set:

The reviewer concludes by giving Beethoven composition advice, suggesting that the composer choose better themes in the future, especially recommending those by Haydn, which are “simple and easily comprehensible, beautifully rhythmic, not vulgar, and potentially a further education in melody and harmony.” Ultimately, the review is a judgment of Beethoven “als Tonsetzer”— above all, of his taste, which he apparently squandered on a poor theme and all-too-involved embellishments.

The reception of arrangements, variation sets, potpourris, and similar multi-voice works marked a gradual shift in musical culture of this period; they were reviewed (and advertised) in a way that acknowledged collaboration but increasingly reinforced the skill and reputation of a singular creator. Vestiges of an older attitude toward shared work allowed for and praised multiplicity at the same time that a new kind of composerly authority emerged as a force on the marketplace. Dedications demonstrate the two sides of this shift in the way they perform the two last functions that are the focus of this study: they communicate influence and authorship. Dedications have so far been examined as a locus for models of exchange, promotion, and biography.