| These terms can apply to a complete form as well as to a process within a form. Variation can be used at all levels but it becomes a form when it is used explicitly to illustrate inventiveness. This is one of the most fundemental venues of the composer's craft and a set of variations over an original or barrowed theme is sometimes the most delightful example of a composer's genius. For example the many variations of Mozart and Beethoven, both for keyboard and in numerous larger works is always a way to see the orientation of these two composers, and how different they are. Yet still different and miraculous for his use of counterpoint in the strictist and yet most creative way are variations by J.S. Bach, These are forms, they are pieces set off as complete movements.
So are Bach's organ fugues, but later on both variation and fugue become methods of contrast within larger complete forms. Fugue both as a form of variation and as a means of contrast becomes a technique for creating the tension within a sonata-allegro movement. An example is the development of the first movement of Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major Op.59 #1. A fugatto is used in the development section. Variation becomes a technique in Mahler abd Bruchner, especially the latter, to propel a large form. This idea turns variation into a proceedure within a larger form.
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