BEETHOVEN'S WORKS BY HESS NUMBERS 101-150
Compiled by Gary D. Evans
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Last Updated:
March 25, 2019 7:07 AM
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For an explanation of the Hess numbering system
& linked audio files see: http://www.unheardbeethoven.org/search/
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Hess
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TITLE - INFORMATION
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DATE Begun
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DATE Finished
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MISC. INFO
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101
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Piano version of 12 Minuets for Orchestra WoO 7 |
(? Date)
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This piano version of these 12 minuets, like Hess 100, is contemporary with the orchestral version, which was commissioned for the winter 1795 balls held in the small Redoutensaal in Vienna. Only this piano version and a version for 2 violins and bass were published during Beethoven's lifetime (Artaria, 1795). The 12 minuets are mostly in a regular form of 2 parts of 8 measures each, and a trio in 2 parts of 8 measures each. However, #10 includes a more elaborate structure in the trio, with echo effects indicated in the score. | |
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102
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Piano version of 9 Contredanses for Orchestra WoO 14 |
(? Date)
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Only the first 6 of the set of 12 were published in the piano version (Mollo, Vienna 1802); however, a copyist's score also contains three more which are also presented here as #7-9. It is doubtful that Beethoven ever wrote a piano version for the other three dances. Numbering of the contredanses in the midi follows that of the published score for piano, which is very different than the order of these dances in the version for orchestra. According to Barry Cooper, #1 and #9 date from about 1791 in Bonn, #3 probably dates from 1795, #4, 5 & 7 from late 1801. #2 is derived from the ballet music for Creatures of Prometheus op. 43, and was used again in the Finale of the Third Symphony. According to Shin Kojima #8 & 12 from WoO 14 (that's to say, nrs. 1 and 9 from Hess 102) are possibly arranged by Karl van Beethoven, Ludwig's brother, based on sketches by Ludwig. | |
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107
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Grenadiermarsch for mechanical clock in F, [20 bar march by Haydn, arr. of WoO 29] | |||
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108
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Orig. version for Maelzel's panharmonicon of op. 91, 2'd part ["Siegessymphonie"] |
Maelzel had a brisk business selling Beethoven ear-trumpets and inventing the metronome, but one project did not come to much. That was the Panharmonikon, an automatic orchestra. Enthused, Beethoven (according to Moscheles, upon Maelzel's suggestion) wrote the composition The Battle of Vittoria in 1813, commemorating the victory of the Duke of Wellington over the French forces, for this new instrument. Beethoven stated that he had already conceived the idea of a battle, which was not practicable on the Panharmonicon. However, Moscheles is probably more accurate, since the front page of the Panharmonicon score states, in Beethoven's hand, that it was "written for Hr. Maelzel by Ludwig van Beethoven." However, early in 1814 Maelzel and Beethoven quarreled. Feeling injured, since the piece he had asked for had led to a huge resurgence in Beethoven's popularity, Maelzel began making plans to take the Panharmonicon and the composition to England. Maelzel surreptitiously obtained so many of the parts for the battle as to be able to have a pretty correct score of the work written out. He produced it in two concerts in Munich in March 1814. When Beethoven in Vienna learned of this, he was outraged. Excited in temper, he initiated a lawsuit against Maelzel (by this time on the way to the far reaches of Europe). At the same time, he hastily had a copy of the Battle prepared and sent to the Prince Regent (the future George IV) of England, in a mad chase across Europe, in hopes of thereby preventing Maelzel from producing the piece. As Thayer notes, it was a costly and utterly useless precaution; Maelzel did not receive any incentives to offer orchestral concerts, and the score sat buried in the Prince's library and was ignored and never acknowledged. These antics further disrupted work on the final revisions of Fidelio. The Panharmonikon apparently consisted solely of winds and percussion, namely at least: a piccolo, 4 flutes, 5 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons, a contrabassoon, two horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, timpani, triangle, Turkish cymbals, small and large drums, and an organ bass. The composition only consists of the second half of the familiar orchestral version, op. 91. The descriptive "Battle" portion of the composition does not exist in the original. While the composition is quite similar to op. 91, the fact that there are no strings whatsoever gives the piece a very different texture. Beethoven also wrote out the parts for the horns and trumpets as they would be heard, and not transposed to the position where they would be played by a live musician. This produces a certain amount of uncertainty as to the piccolo part. Typically, a piccolo score is written one octave lower than it is played. Did Beethoven also intend this treatment for the piccolo part to Hess 108? It is not clear; as the part is written, it goes several notes lower than the range of a modern piccolo; if transposed up an octave, then the ending is too high to be played on a piccolo. There are some intriguing differences from the familiar orchestral version of the piece. xickx notes that after the first 'God Save the King', the Allegro con brio is repeated. In the orchestral version we know, this is a literal repeat throughout. But in the version for Panharmonikon Beethoven deviates from that literal repeat in the passage bar 92-102 of the midi. The deviation sounds peculiar, since it has different harmonies. Also, in the big scale leading to the coda at bar 211, in the orchestral version this is a diatonic scale (i.e., just the notes of the scale in the key of D), while in the Panharmonicon version, this scale is chromatic. |
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110 #4
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Terzet, "Gut, soehnchen, gut" from 1806 version of Leonore |
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110 #8
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Recitative and Aria, "Ach, brich noch nicht-Komm, Hoffnung" from 1806 version of Leonore. |
After the failure of the performances of Leonore in November 1805, Beethoven reworked his opera and produced it again in April 1806. Many thought the 1805 version too long, and friends pressed Beethoven to make cuts. This was very much against the instincts of Beethoven the musician. And he was right: the longwindedness was not so much the fault of the music, but rather of the libretto, which, in the first act, lingers on the domestic arrangements of the Rocco household. Nevertheless, Beethoven did reluctantly make some cuts. Making cuts in his own music turned out to be very difficult, as he would testify in 1814 in a letter to Treitschke when he was working on the third and final version of his opera. The reason for these difficulties lies probably in the fact that in Beethoven's music the details are closely linked to the whole, and cutting some details means running the risk of the structure-as-a-whole getting distorted or even collapsing. An example of such a distortion we can see in the big Leonore aria "Ach brich noch nicht". The main difference in the 1806 version is a modest cut of some 15 bars shortly before the end of the aria. In these bars Leonore has to sing some longish coloraturas. Now, some may think that cutting soprano coloraturas is always a good idea, but in this case it seems to have a detrimental effect. After the cut had been made, Leonore's regained optimism in the final six bars seems to come out of nowhere. Also the triplets in the bassoon, an echo of the coloraturas, have now lost their motivation. >>>Recitative<<< Ach, brich noch nicht, du mattes Herz! Du hast in Schreckenstagen mit jedem Schlag ja neuen Schmerz und bange Angst ertragen. Ach, brich noch nicht, ach, brich noch nicht, du mattes Herz! >>>Aria (Adagio)<<< O Hoffnung, o komm! Hoffnung! O komm! Komm, Hoffnung, lass den letzten Stern der Mueden nicht erbleichen! Komm, o komm, erhell' ihr Ziel, sey's noch so fern, die Liebe, die Liebe wird's erreichen, ja, ja, sie wird's erreichen. Komm, o komm, Komm, o Hoffnung, lass den letzten Stern der Mueden nicht erbleichen! Erhell' ihr Ziel, sey's noch so fern, die Liebe, die Liebe wird's erreichen die Liebe wird's erreichen. >>>(Allegro con brio)<<< O du, o du, fuer den ich alles trug, koennt ich zur Stelle dringen wo Bosheit dich in Fesseln schlug, und suessen Trost dir bringen, und suessen Trost dir bringen! Ich folg' dem innern Triebe, ich wanke nicht, mich staerkt die Pflicht der treuen Gattenliebe, ich wanke nicht, nein, ich wanke nicht, mich staerkt die Pflicht der treuen Gattenliebe. O du, o du, fuer den ich alles trug, koennt ich zur Stelle dringen wo Bosheit dich in Fesseln schlug, und suessen Trost dir bringen! O du, fuer den ich alles trug, koennt ich zur Stelle dringen wo Bosheit dich in Fesseln schlug koennt ich zur Stelle dringen ach, koennt ich zur Stelle dringen! Ich folg' dem innern Triebe, ich wanke nicht, mich staerkt die Pflicht der treuen Gattenliebe, ich folg' dem innern Triebe, ich wanke nicht, nein, nein, ich wanke nicht, mich staerkt die Pflicht der treuen Gattenliebe, der treuen Gattenliebe! >>>Translation:<<< >>>Recitative<<< Ah, don't break yet, my numb heart! You have suffered in days of terror with every blow new pain and fear. >>>Aria (Adagio)<<< Come, Hope, let not your last star Be eclipsed in despair! O come, light me my goal, however far, That love may attain it. >>>(Allegro con brio)<<< O you for whom I've borne so much, If I could but reach the place Where hatred has imprisoned you, To bring you consolation! I follow a voice within me, Unwavering, And am strengthened By the faith of wedded love. |
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111
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Duet, "Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben," early version |
1805?
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The original version of this duet, in which Rocco and Leonore are digging the grave for the prisoner, who is about to be murdered, was deciphered and published only in 1966 by Willy Hess. Since this version apparently exists only in Beethoven's own handwriting, and not in that of one of the copyists, we can assume that Beethoven made the changes to this duet even before it was copied out, that's to say, before the rehearsals of the opera started in October 1805. The Hess 111-version was therefore most likely never performed during Beethoven's life-time, nor, as far we know, since its publication in 1966. The main difference with the 1805-version is that in the present version the instrumental
introduction is some 17 bars longer. The reason why Beethoven later cut these measures
gives some insight into his musical priorities. As such, there is nothing wrong with this
section (bar 7 to bar 23). It even contains original ideas, namely the clash of the Neapolitan
harmony with the tonic in bar 15, and the use of a 7-chord on IV in bar 18 (the same chord
in bar 22, however, is a II(7) in C). Most other composers would have left this section
untouched. So why did Beethoven cut it?
Probably because it is harmonically circular: it both starts and ends at the same point,
namely C(I), the parallel major. Reaching C(I) is an important point of the introduction,
because it turns the following, syncopated, dominant chord of A minor into a very
expressive entry for the singing voices. But reaching C(I) twice, as is now the case, slows
down the action. Clearly Beethoven thought that moving the drama forward was more
important than an extensive description of the general mood, and the darkness of the scene.
While in later years other cuts were made in other numbers in order to shorten the opera,
this one was made for artistic reasons.
Of the many other, smaller, differences between Hess 111 and the later versions, we would
like to point out the upward rising triplets in the violas at Leonores words "Ich will, du
Armer, dich befrein" ("I will set you, poor man, free"), at the 2 min 41 marking of the midi.
It's a pity that Beethoven removed them, since they work wonderfully well.
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Rocco: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben, Come, get to work and dig;
es waehrt nicht lang, er kommt herein It won't be long before he's here.
Leonore: Ihr sollt ja nicht zu klagen haben, You'll have no cause to complain,
ihr sollt gewiss zufrieden sein. I'll content you, never fear.
Rocco: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben,
es waehrt nicht lang, er kommt herein.
Leonore: Ihr sollt ja nicht zu klagen haben,
ihr sollt gewiss zufrieden sein.
Rocco: Komm, hilf, komm, hilf doch diesen Stein mir heben! Come, help me lift this stone -
Hab' Acht, hab' Acht, er hat Gewicht! Take care! Take care! it's heavy!
Leonore: Ich helfe schon, sorgt euch nicht! I've got it, don't worry;
Ich will mir alle Muehe geben. I'll do my best to move it.
Rocco: Ein wenig noch! A little more!
Leonore: Geduld! A moment!
Rocco: Er weicht! It's moving.
Leonore: Nur etwas noch! A little further!
Rocco, Leonore
together: Es ist nicht leicht / Nur etwas noch! This is hard work!
Rocco: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben, Come, we must hurry with this grave;
es waehrt nicht lang, er kommt herein. It won't be long before he's here.
Leonore: Lasst mich nur wieder Kraefte haben, Just let me get my breath back,
wir werden bald zu Enden sein. We'll soon have finished here.
Rocco, Leonore
together: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben, Whoever you are, I swear to Heaven
es waehrt nicht lang, er kommt herein
Wer du auch sei'st, ich will dich retten,
Leonore: bei Gott, bei Gott, du sollst kein Opfer sein, I'll save you! You shall not be his prey!
gewiss, gewiss, ich loese deine Ketten, I will loose your chains, poor man,
ich will, du Armer, dich befrein. And set you free.
Rocco: Was er da mit sich selber spricht! What are you talking to yourself!
Leonore: Mein Vater, nein, ich rede nicht! Father, no, I'm not talking to myself!
Rocco: Was er da mit sich selber spricht!
Leonore: Mein Vater, nein, ich rede nicht!
Rocco: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben,
Leonore: Lasst mich nur wieder Kraefte haben,
Rocco: es waehrt nicht lang, er kommt herein,
Leonore: Lasst mich nur wieder Kraefte haben,
Rocco, Leonore
together: ja, es waehrt nicht lang, er kommt herein,
Lasst mich nur wieder Kraefte haben,
wir werden bald zu Ende sein,
Ihr sollt ja nicht zu klagen haben,
ihr sollt gewiss zufrieden sein,
Rocco, Leonore
in unison: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben,
es waehrt nicht lang, er kommt herein./
Lasst mich nur wieder Kraefte haben,
wir werden bald zu Ende sein.
Translation: Lionel Salter
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112
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Rocco's Gold Aria, cut from the 1806 version of Leonore |
After the failure of the premiere in November 1805, Beethoven reworked his opera
'Leonore', and put it on stage again in April 1806. The decision to remove Rocco's Gold
aria entirely from that production was apparently taken only at the last moment, since there
is a 1806-version of it in existence.
Beethoven's friend Stephan von Breuning had rewritten much of Sonnleithner's original
libretto. For the Gold aria this meant that some rhythmical changes had to be made to
Rocco's part in order to fit the new text. For the rest the 1806-version is identical to the
1805-version.
No doubt the main reason to cut the aria completely was to shorten the opera. As such it is
one of the very few substantial concessions Beethoven made in this respect in the
1806-version. Also, von Breuning's rather far-fetched joke at the expense of philosophers
("philosophers who rebuke gold, and prefer roots and vegetables", etc.) would, in all
likelihood, not have brought down the house with laughter.
More interesting are the differences between the 1805- and 1806-versions of this aria on
the one hand, and the final 'Fidelio'-version on the other hand. Two bars of the phrase with
swirling 16th notes, at the beginning of the 6/8-section, suggesting the jingling of the golden
coins, were cut in the 1814-version. And in the 1805- and 1806-versions the climactic
words "es ist ein maechtig Ding, das Gold, das Gold" ("Gold is a mighty thing") are
beautifully illustrated by the golden sounds of the trumpets, and mighty thumps on the
timpanis. These are strangely missing in the final version. Did Beethoven deliberately
remove the trumpets and timpani? If so, why? Did they give too much importance to
Rocco, who is after all only a secondary character in the opera? Or did the trumpet and
timpani parts for this aria simply get lost, prior or during the reworking in 1814?
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1805 text by Sonnleithner:
Hat man nicht auch Gold beyneben,
kann man auch nicht gluecklich seyn,
traurig schleppt man fort das Leben,
wahres Elend stellt sich ein.
Doch wenn's in der Tasche fein klingelt und rollt,
da haelt man das Glueck and dem Faedchen.
Ein Amt, hohe Wuerden verschafft dir das Gold,
Juwelen und reizende Maedchen.
Das Glueck dient wie ein Knecht fuer Sold,
es ist ein schoenes Ding, das Gold, das Gold.
Dass nur Gold im Beutel lache,
jedes Erdenglueck ist dein:
Stolz und Uebermuth und Rache
werden schnell befriedigt seyn.
Drum ist auch Fortuna den Reichen so hold;
sie thuen ja nur, was sie wollen,
verhuellen die Handlungen kuenstlich mit Gold
worueber sie schaemen sich sollen.
Das Glueck dient wie ein Knecht fuer Sold,
es ist ein schoenes Ding, das Gold, das Gold.
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1806 text by von Breuning:
Von dem Schluessel hoert man erzaehlen
welcher zwingt des Glueckes Thor;
vom Magnet, der alle Seelen
unaufhaltsam traegt empor.
Zwar gilt's Philosophen, die schelten das Gold
und wollen nur Wurzeln and Kraeuter;
doch zeigt sich das maecht'ge flugs sind sie ihm hold
und ruehmen Entsagung nicht weiter.
Dem Klang und Glanz erwerben Sold;
es ist ein gold'nes Ding, das Gold, das Gold.
Wenn sich Nichts mit Nichts verbindet,
ist und bleibt die Summe klein;
wer bei Tisch nur Liebe findet,
wird nach Tische hungrig sein.
Drum laechle der Zufall euch gnaedig und hold
und segne und lenk' euer Streben
das Liebchen im Arme, im Beutel das Gold,
so moegt ihr viel Jahre durchleben.
Dem Klang und Glanz erwerben Sold;
es ist ein gold'nes Ding, das Gold, das Gold.
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1814 text by Treitschke:
Hat man nicht auch Gold beineben,
kann man nicht ganz gluecklich sein,
traurig schleppt sich fort das Leben,
mancher Kummer stellt sich ein.
Doch wenn's in den Taschen fein klingelt und rollt,
da haelt man das Schicksal gefangen,
und Macht und Liebe verschaft dir das Gold
und stillet das kuehnste Verlangen.
Das Glueck dient wie ein Knecht fuer Sold,
es ist ein schoenes/gold'nes Ding, das Gold, das Gold.
Wenn sich Nichts mit Nichts verbindet,
ist und bleibt die Summe klein;
wer bei Tisch nur Liebe findet,
wird nach Tische hungrig sein.
Drum laechle der Zufall euch gnaedig und hold
und segne und lenk' euer Streben,
das Liebchen im Arme, im Beutel das Gold,
so moegt ihr viel Jahre durchleben.
Das Glueck dient wie ein Knecht fuer Sold,
es ist ein maechtig Ding, das Gold, das Gold.
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Translation of the 1814 text:
If you haven't money by you,
Happiness is hard to find;
Life can be a heavy burden,
Full of care and woe.
But if it jingles round your pockets,
Fate is at your mercy:
Gold can bring you love and power
And can still your keenest longings.
For fortune's like a valet
And serves its master, mighty gold.
When nought and nought are put together,
Small remains the total sum;
Dining on love alone
Won't stop you feeling hungry.
So may fortune smile kindly on you
And bless and guide your efforts;
Your sweetheart in your arms,
And money in your purse,
Many a year may you prosper.
For fortune's like a valet
And serves its master, mighty gold.
Translation: Lionel Salter.
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113
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Marzelline's Aria, with an abbreviated conclusion | Marzellina's Aria, 1814 version, shortened ending, Hess 113. (Published in the Hess supplement XIII). For Beethoven a composition was never finished: after a piece had been performed, or even published, he could come back to it and try out new changes. See for example the Second Piano Concerto (cf. the recording by Kazakevich & English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Mackerras (available on CD, Conifer Classics 75605-51237-2), the Pastoral Symphony (an alternative ending to the Scene at the Brook can be found on this site), or the changes to Fuer Elise, some 12 years after it had been composed (also on this site). Therefore it's no real surprise that when Beethoven, after two failed attempts (Hess 121 and 122, also on this site), finally found the definitive form for Marzellina's aria from Fidelio, he continued to make changes to it. However, the cut of the final 19 bars of the aria doesn't seem to stem from musical necessity, but rather from pressure by friends and others to shorten the opera. The ending of the present version is just about possible, but those who are familiar with the original ending (which also occurs in both Hess 121 and 122) will feel as if they are being robbed. It's a bit pathetic to see Beethoven mutilate his own music to save some 30 seconds, when minutes of idle chit-chat could, and should, have been cut in a rigorous reworking of the libretto. | ||
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114
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Recitative for Don Fernando, Dresden version of Fidelio | Recitative of Don Fernando in the 2nd Finale of Fidelio, Dresden version, Hess 114 (1814?). Hess 114 is an additional recitative for Don Fernando which appears in the score for the 1823 revival of Fidelio in Dresden. The score copied at that time has contains this nine-bar addition which does not appear in the "final" version of Fidelio as it occurs in the Gesamtausgabe. Assuming that it is by Beethoven (and musically, it seems likely to be his), then it is not clear whether this is part of the 1814 revision of Fidelio which was cut (or mistakenly omitted from the score), or whether it is a later addition to the score. There was a shorter and less interesting recitative given to Don Fernando in the 1806 version of Leonore (Hess 110); this may be a transitional phase between the 1806 version and the elimination of the recitative altogether (if such was intended) in the 1814 version published by Artaria. The 1823 revival was conducted by Carl Maria von Weber; according to Thayer, Weber received the score from Beethoven, who had borrowed it from the Kaernthnerthor Theatre. So, was it wrongly omitted from the GA text? or was it wrongly included in the theatre's score? or did Beethoven add these measures in 1823 before forwarding the score to Weber? This recitative belongs to the Finale of the second act, and goes after "O Gott, o welch' ein Augenblick," and before the Chorus "Wer ein holdes Weib." The recitative serves the dramatic purpose of giving Don Fernando a little more to do than simply act as the Deus ex Machina of the opera. Note that the recitative includes a drop of a fifth on the word "Freunde," which foreshadows a similar drop of a sixth on the word "Freunde" in the Bass recitative that opens the choral portion of the Ode to Joy in the Ninth Symphony. Another interesting point (which might indicate that it was an 1823 addition) is that the opening of the Finale of the Ninth also has cascading strings which are echoed in the second half of this recitative. Hinweg mit diesem Boesewicht! Uns, Freunde, winket suesse Pflicht. Auf, lasset laut in diesen Hallen der Wonne Jubel hoch erschallen! Away with this villain! We, friends, are left with a sweet duty. Let us in these lofty halls resound the jubilant bliss! | ||
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115
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Opera Vestas Feuer, Unfinished | |||
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118
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Complete music for Die Weihe des Hauses, () [adapted frm Die Ruinen von Athen, op. 113] | |||
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121
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Aria of Marzelline, "O waer ich schon mit dir vereint," in C major for voice and orchestra | Aria of Marzelline "O waer ich schon mit dir vereint," in C major, Hess 121 (1806). This aria was prepared in 1806 as part of the revision of Leonore, the original of Fidelio. However, Beethoven decided to use the original 1805 version of this number instead. Beethoven also prepared a version of this aria in C minor, Hess 122. | ||
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122
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Aria of Marzelline, "O waer ich schon mit dir vereint," in C minor for voice and orchestra | Aria of Marzelline "O waer ich schon mit dir vereint," in C minor, Hess 122 (1807). This aria was prepared in 1807 as part of the revision of Leonore, the original of Fidelio, which also included the overture now known as op. 138. Beethoven also prepared a version of this aria in C major, Hess 121. | ||
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125
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Hochzeitslied WoO 105 in C for unison voices |
Hochzeitslied, for one voice and unison chorus in C (all voices probably male), WoO 105 (Hess 125) (January 14, 1819). This song for voice, unison chorus and piano was dedicated to Anna Giannastasio del Rio for her wedding and is a setting of words by Anton Joseph Stein. WoO 105 consists of two versions of this song; there is a version in A (Hess 124) for solo voice and a four-part chorus, apparently written second, which appears in the Deutsche Grammophon Complete Beethoven Edition, and also in the Hermann Prey Complete Beethoven Lieder, and the present version. To our knowledge, this version in C has never been recorded. It is not known for certain which version was actually performed at the wedding. The lyrics are as follows: 1. Auf, Freunde, singt dem Gott der Ehen! Preist Hymen hoch am Festaltar, dass wir des Gluekkes Huld erflehen, erflehen fuer ein edles Paar! Vor allem lasst in forhen Weisen den wuerdgen Doppelstam uns preisen, dem dieses edle Paar enspross! Chor: Vor allem lasst in frohen Weisen den wuerdgen Doppelstamm uns preisen, dem dieses edle Paar entspross, dem dieses edle Paar entspross! |
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133
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"Das liebe Kätzchen", (Pub. 3/1820) Austrian |
(? Date)
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134
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Der Knabe auf dem Berge, (Pub. 3/1820) Austrian |
(? Date)
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137
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Song, "Ich wiege dich in meinem Arm, [Author?] lost |
c 1795?
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139
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Song, "Minnesold von Bürger, in Tönen an Amenda ausbezahlt, () [Author ?] lost |
c 1798
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140
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Dimmi, ben mio, che m'ami, later version of op 82 #1 |
Later Version of "Dimmi, ben mio, che m'ami", Hess 140 (After July, 1811). This is a later version of the song published as op.82 no.1, and dates from after July, 1811. Arnold Schoenberg, the patriarch of 20th century atonality, once said: "Man hat ja Zeit zu modulieren" ("one has time to modulate"), thus expressing his dislike for short, sharp modulations, which he thought to be intellectually inferior. Schoenberg's early music, which is still tonal, is in a state of perpetual, slow modulation, from which it was only a small step to atonality. Of course Schoenberg was wrong in disliking quick modulations, because they are capable of expressing specific feelings which atonality clearly can't. We find a fine example here in Beethoven's song, Dimmi, ben mio. After eleven and a half bars firmly in the tonic key of A major (except for a short excursion to the dominant) we are without any preparation plunged in the somewhat remote key of C major (at the 23 second mark of the midi). This occurs on the words "tu m'apri il paradiso" ("you open paradise to me"), and since this is a love song, the erotic subtext of these words would not be lost on anyone living in the 19th century. The sudden modulation to C gives the music an explosive charge and urgency, which is so typical of male sexuality. Luckily for this site, the people who worry about pornography on Internet are stonedeaf to its musical equivalent. Dimmi, ben mio, che m'ami,
dimmi che mia tu sei
e non invidio ai Dei
la lor divinita.
Con un tuo sguardo solo,
cara, con un sorriso
tu m'apri il paradiso
di mia felicita.
Poet unknown.
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141
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Busslied op 48 #6 - another version of the last 12 bars |
The 6 Gellert songs op.48 take a unique position in Beethoven's oeuvre. They seem to express a deepening of his spirituality, which may well be related to the crises of the Heiligenstaedt Testament These final 12 bars for the last of the Gellert songs date from 1803. nimmt sich meiner Seelen an der Herr erhoert mein Schreyn der Herr erhoert mein Flehn und nimmt sich meiner Seelen an. |
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142
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Wonne der Wehmut, earlier version of op 83 #1 |
Trocknet nicht, trocknet nicht,
Traenen der ewigen Liebe!
Trocknet nicht!
Ach! nur dem halbgetrockneten Auge,
wie oede, wie tot die Welt ihm erscheint!
Trocknet nicht, trocknet nicht,
Traenen ungluecklicher Liebe!
Trocknet nicht!
Goethe.
Tears of eternal love!
Don't dry!
Ah! only to the half-dry eye,
how deserted, how dead the world appears!
Don't dry, don't dry,
Tears of unhappy love!
Don't dry!
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143
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Song, "An die Freude", () lost [Friedrich von Schiller-"Freude, schöner Götterfunken"]Was early setting of Schiller's "To Joy". Ref. to by Ries, 1803. 2 sketches survive frm 1798. | |||
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144
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Feuerfarb, earlier version of op 52 #2 |
This is the first version of the song published as op 52 # 2
Ich weiss eine Farbe,
der bin ich so hold,
die achte ich hoeher
als Silber und Gold;
die trag' ich so gerne
um Stirn und Gewand
und habe sie Farbe
der Wahrheit genannt.
Wohl bluehet in lieblicher,
sanfter Gestalt
die gluehende Rose,
doch bleichet sie bald.
Drum weihte zur Blume
der Liebe man sie;
ihr Reiz ist unendlich,
doch welket er frueh.
Sophie Mereau.
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145
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Opferlied, 1st version |
This first version dates from as early as 1796. Almost 30 years later Beethoven would finish this song, and publish it as opus 121b (1824) At first glance the first version looks very different from the final version, but appearances deceive. Beethoven has simply halved the note values in the later version (and prescribed a slower tempo to compensate for that change); the melody is in fact almost identical. All this (the long time elapsed before the completion of the final version, and the similarity between the two versions) may be of some relevance to a question related to a well known piece by Beethoven: the Ode to Joy. We know that once there existed a first setting of the "Ode an die Freude", which is now lost, but which was nevertheless assigned a number: Hess 143. How we all would love to hear that setting! In both cases (Opferlied and Ode an die Freude) Beethoven was haunted by the texts for several decades, in both cases he wrote a first version around 1796, in both cases he only managed to find the final form in the early 1820's. Given the similarity of the melody in the two versions of the Opferlied, it may not be too far fetched to assume that the famous tune of the finale of the Ninth Symphony was already used in one form or another in the now lost first setting of the Ode to Joy. |
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146
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Der freie Mann, earlier version |
Der freie Mann, Hess 146. This is another, and probably earlier version of WoO 117 (1791-94). It's very clear why this text appealed to Beethoven. One may even say it expresses one of his basic beliefs: the right of individuals to be free, and take destiny in their own hands. Interestingly the opening of the song is somewhat similar to the opening of Schubert's 9th Symphony, which is also in C major. Of course, this can be just a coincidence, but perhaps Schubert knew this song and was subconsciously refering to it. That would put a new light on Schubert's "Heavenly Long Symphony". Wer, wer ist ein freier Mann?
Der, dem nur eigner Wille,
und kein Zwinghernn Grille
Gesetze geben kann, der ist ein freier Mann!
Gottlieb Conrad Pfeffel
Who, who is a free man?
He, who according to his own will,
against any tyrant's whims,
can set the rules,
that is a free man!
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150
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Heidenroeslein, for voice and piano - sketch |
Beethoven made several attempts at setting this Goethe poem, later set by Schubert. This version is the most complete surviving sketch. The sketch-leaf was once owned by Alexander Wheelock Thayer, the eminent Beethoven biographer, and is presently found in the Paris Conservatoire, catalogued as Ms. 79. The paper on which it was written is a type which Douglas Johnson has identified as being used between 1793 and 1796. A completion of the sketch was made in 1898 by Henry Holden Huss and printed by G. Schirmer as well as in the New York Tribune Illustrated Supplement of March 6, 1898. However, Huss's completion has some drawbacks, most important of which is that he completely ignores the piano part denoted as "ritornello." Much as Reinhold Becker did with the sketch for the Erl-Koenig, this ritornello can be used as a basis for the accompaniment to the vocal line, which is nearly complete as sketched. We give here the original sketch, Huss' completion, and the new Unheard Beethoven completion. Heidenroeslein
Sah ein Knab' ein Roeslein steh'n,
Roeslein auf der Heiden,
War so jung und morgenschoen,
Lief er schnell, es nah' zu seh'n.
Sah's mit vielen Freuden
Roeslein, Roeslein, Roeslein roth,
Roeslein auf der Heiden.
Knabe sprach: "Ich breche dich,
Roeslein auf der Heiden!"
Roeslein sprach: "ich ste che dich,
Dass du ewig denkst an mich,
Und ich will's nicht leiden."
Roeslein, Roeslein, Roeslein roth,
Roeslein auf der Heiden.
Und der wilde Knabebrach's
Roeslein auf der Heiden.
Roeslein wehrte sich und stach,
Half ihr doch kein Weh und Ach,
Muss't es eben leiden.
Roeslein, Roeslein, Roeslein roth,
Roeslein auf der Heiden.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Wild Rose of the Hedgerow
Once a boy a wild-rose spied
In the hedgerow growing,
Fresh in all her youthful pride,
When her beauties he descried,
Joy in his heart was glowing.
Little wild-rose, wild-rose red,
In the hedgerow growing.
Said the boy: "I'll gather thee,
In the hedgerow growing.
Said the rose, "Then I'll pierce thee,
That thou may'st remember me,
Thus reproof bestowing."
Little wild-rose, wild-rose red,
In the hedgerow growing.
Thoughtlessly he pull'd the rose,
In the hedgerow growing,
But her thorns their spears oppose,
Vainly he laments his woes,
With pain his hand is glowing.
Little wild-rose, wild-rose red,
In the hedgerow growing
English translation by Henry Holden Huss.
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