Beethoven does not seek variety by using key-changes, staying with Diabelli's C major for most of the set: among the first twenty-eight variations, he uses the tonic minor only once, in Variation 9. Then, nearing the conclusion, Beethoven uses C minor for Variations 29–31 and for Variation 32, a triple fugue, he switches to E major. Coming at this late point, after such a long period in C major, the key-change has an increased dramatic effect. At the end of the fugue, a culminating flourish consisting of a diminished seventh arpeggio is followed by a series of quiet chords punctuated by silences. These chords lead back to Diabelli's C major for Variation 33, a closing minuet.