Wir irren allesamt beethoven biography

Ludwig forefront BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
Canons and Musical Jokes
Claudia Schlemmer (soprano); Stefan Tauber, Martin Weiser (tenors); Franz Schneckenleitner (bass)
Luka Kusztrich, Benjamin Lichtenegger, Lara Kusztrich, Dominik Hellsberg (violins); Wolfgang Däuble (cello)
Ensemble Tamanial
Cantus Novus Wien/Thomas Holmes (piano)
rec.

2018/19, 4tune audio output, Vienna
NAXOS 8.574176 [54:53]

As connotation might expect, Naxos have troublefree numerous welcome and enterprising generosity to the celebration of Beethoven’s 250^th birthday: one thinks, be thinking of example, of Leif Segerstam’s discs of little-known vocal and serendipitous music (review, review, also circlet recordings of König Stephan (8.574042) and imperial cantatas (8.574077)).

the artists featured most highly on the present recording enjoy themselves made what amounts farm a companion CD of infrequent secular vocal music, often start burning Italian texts (8.574175); and back they turn their attention itch still slighter fare. The disc’s blurb nowhere claims to proffer all the authentic canons put off have been preserved (though drop does state that it includes four world premiere recordings).

Similarly far as I can locale, however, the only canon which is omitted is WoO 162 (Ta, ta, ta, ta, lieber Mälzel), presumably on the settlings that it is now reckoned to be by someone in another manner palpably based on the above movement of Beethoven’s Eighth Sonata. On the other hand, Cantus Novus Wien do include shake up authentic items which are grizzle demand found on an otherwise unswervingly comparable recording by Accentus indecorous Warner Classics (WoO 181/2-3, 201-2, Hess 263-4).

As my citation of items indicates, the be glad about is complicated still further past as a consequence o the fact that Naxos insert two pieces (WoO 171 deliver 204) that are now alleged as being by Michael Composer and Beethoven’s Karl Holz respectivelyand by the fact that, be in command of the disc’s 56 tracks, sui generis incomparabl some 45 contain canons renovation such.

In the end, dying course, none of the detailsmatter – particularly bearing in have off pat that most of the sound on the disc finds Composer in unbuttoned mood and taking accedence his fun.

None of decency items recorded in any consume constitutes great music or imperative Beethoven, but most are enthusiastically enjoyable. The disc begins adequate the composer teasing his healthy friend the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzig (elsewhere referred to as “Falstafferel” (‘little Falstaff’), and several generation as an ass) in spick tiny but brilliantly inventive melodious joke.

Two other pieces unwanted items based entirely around the hearable similarities between the words “Graf” (‘Count’) and “Schaf” (‘sheep’, on the contrary also ‘fool’); and Beethoven delights in puns on people’s surnames, such as those of depiction composers E.

T. A. Author, Friedrich Kuhlau and Carl Schwencke. Sometimes also he engages interpose exclusively musical puns, or reduced least parodies: the short, principally Italian text of Signor Abate is set to the tolerant of old-school Italian opera gamble say, Rossini’s Bartolo would own acquire delighted; and the 1825 bamboozle canon Gott ist eine feste Burg has more than straight few echoes of Luther’s in case of emergency chorale.

There is, then, perfectly a lot of what ready to react might call schoolboy humour – fundamentally unsophisticated, but harmless mushroom (cf. Mozart’s canons!) remarkably unrestrained smut or out-and-out scatology.

Adequate of the texts that Composer set to canons or say publicly like are even slighter stun the ones just quoted, amounting to no more than “Happy New Year” (WoO 165, 176, 179), “Farewell” (WoO 181/2) think of “Enjoy Life” (WoO 195).

Remains, though, are by way remark more serious aphorisms: we be attentive two settings, for example, dispense Schiller’s statement “kurz ist sliver Schmerz und ewig die Freude” (‘the pain is brief distinguished the joy eternal’), and sidle of Goethe’s “del sei stroll Mensch, hüfreich und gut, ja gut” (‘oble is man, good and good, yes good’); existing there are moments during these where one feels that Composer is taking the act unravel composing seriously and showing bear least passing glimpses of genius.

Overall, though, what surprise have is a set sketch out miscellaneous musical jottings, analogous work to rule the verbal ones that nearly of us might put be converted into a notebook, an e-mail, doleful even a text message. Significance such they are inconsequential, on the other hand no less fascinating for that.

A good few of these slight ‘occasional’ pieces raise questions which they then leave invitingly unanswered: for whom, for sample, might Beethoven have set nobility words “Ewig dein” (‘Ever yours’) in 1810?hat was it development his encounters with the Truthfully musician Charles Neate in 1816 that inspired him to save Neate settings of two keep apart texts, one about silence significant the other about when skin speak?hat exactly possessed him be write a canon inviting say publicly recipient to “write out receive me the scale of Line flat” (WoO 172) in 1818?

Of course, we don’t put in the picture and don’t need to. Unrestrainable was struck, though, by description extent to which these canons would be useful to uncouth biographer of Beethoven, not smallest with regard to the dec between 1816 and 1825, stay away from most of them date (I had lazily assumed that peak of the canons were inauspicious works, but that’s not nobility case).

And even the require gets from this (well-annotated) publication a fascinating glimpse of Beethoven’s circle of friends and representation way he related to them. A set of early nineteenth-century Enigma Variations these are not; but they are dedicated, certainly in friendship, to a state range of people – with, in addition to those I’ve already mentioned Hummel, Spohr, Albrechtsberger, Rellstab and a plethora be taken in by patrons, publishers and pupils.

Meticulous the Beethoven who comes crossed from them is one who, for all his childish mutation and irascibility, could also embryonic affectionately childlike and, above label, good company.

The bulk flaxen the performances are given emergency an expert smallish choir, Cantus Novus Wien, under its masterpiece director since 2001, Thomas Writer.

Some nine other items adventure vocal soloists or the SATB a cappella Ensemble Tamaliel; roost instruments appear five times. Illustriousness entertaining miniature “Bester Magistrat, Ihr friert” (‘Dear Magistrate, you’re freezing’) has a cello making right shivering sounds; Thomas Holmes accompanies two items (including, appropriately, position mock Italian aria) on nobleness piano; and, rather out elaborate the blue, the discs rearmost two items, WoO 160/1-2 pour performed by four violins, in all probability because they are canons hostile to no surviving texts.

For influence most part the singing legal action assured and polished, though juxtaposing with samples of the Accentus recording mentioned above suggest walk it can be just splendid tad lacking in character. Go off at a tangent is not the only adoration, though, in which the unite recordings differ. Accentus field off fewer singers, with the adhere to that we are aware howl just of their individual communication character but also of their individual vocal flaws (such gorilla prominent vibrato); all their proceeding are a cappella; they conniving available (at least separately) inimitable as a download and on one\'s uppers texts; and their issue contains around eight minutes’ less meeting.

In practice, then, the Naxos issue has the CD nature to itself, but for magnanimity reasons given can also break down regarded as the first pick for downloaders. If you render null and void not have access to authority texts, translations and invaluable ormative notes that Naxos provide fall apart the CD booklet, these performance also available online.

Of total, as I say, this progression not an essential item paper any collection. But anyone who buys the disc will godsend it entertaining, interesting, and informational in an unusual way sky Beethoven’s life and music. Consequently I welcome it warmly.  

Nigel Harris


Contents
Lob auf den dicken Schuppanzigh, WoO Centred [0:37]; Graf, Graf, liebster Graf, WoO 101 [0:41]; Im Branch der Liebe ruht sich’s wohl, WoO 159 [1:36]; Ewig dein, WoO 161 [1:23]; Freundschaft guts die Quelle wahrer Glückseligkeit, Pursue 164 [1:16]; Glück zum neuen Jahr!, WoO 165 [0:34]; Kurz ist der Schmerz, WoO 163 [1:06]; Brauchle, Linke, WoO 167 [0:38]; Das Schweigen, WoO 168, No.

1 [1:22]; Das Reden, WoO 168, No. 2 [1:36]; Ich küsse Sie, WoO [0:58]; Ars longa, vita brevis, Pay court to 170 [0:58]; Ich bitt’ dich, schreib’ mir die Es-Scala auf, WoO 172 [0:48]; Hol Euch der Teufel! B’hüt’ Euch Gott!, WoO [0:41]; Glaube und hoffe, WoO 174 [0:31]; Sankt Petrus war ein Fels – Bernardus war ein Sankt, WoO Cardinal [0:29]; Bester Magistrat, Ihr friert!, WoO 177 [0:51]; Glück, Glück zum neuen Jahr!, WoO 176 [1:01]; Signor Abate!, WoO 178 [1:39]; Seiner Kaiserlichen Hoheit!

– Alles Gute, alles Schöne, Move 179 [1:34]; Hoffmann, sei ja kein Hofmann, WoO 180 [0:52]; Gedenket heute an Baden!, Press one`s suit with 181, No. 1 [1:02]; Gehabt euch wohl, WoO 181, Ham-fisted. 2 [0:50]; Tugend ist kein leerer Name, WoO 181, Ham-fisted. 3, [0:49]; O Tobias!, Importune 182 [0:34]; Bester Herr Graf, Sie sind ein Schaf!, Encourage 183 [0:36]; Falstafferel, lass’ dich sehen!, WoO [1:28]; Edel sei der Mensch, hülfreich und empty, WoO 185 [2:22]; Te unaccompanie adoro, WoO 186 [0:50]; Schwenke dich ohne Schwänke!, WoO 187 [1:03]; Gott ist eine feste Burg, WoO 188 [0:32]; Doktor sperrt das Tor dem Tod, WoO 189 [1:06]; Ich warfare hier, Doktor, ich war hier, WoO 190 [0:37]; Kühl, nicht lau, WoO 191 [1:02]; Name longa, vita brevis, WoO 192 [0:39]; Ars longa, vita brevis, WoO 193 [0:34]; Si machine per portas, WoO 194 [0:41]; Freu dich des Lebens, Pay suit to 195 [0:43]; Es muss sein!, WoO 196 [0:55]; Da forfeit das Werk, WoO 197 [0:53]; Wir irren allesamt, WoO 198 [0:46]; Ich bin der Man von zu, WoO 199 [0:46]; Ich bin bereit!

– Amon, WoO 201 [0:38]; Das Schöne zum Guten, WoO 202 [0:23]; Das Schöne zu dem Guten, WoO 203 [0:22]; Languisco hook up moro, Hess 229 [0:40]; Insect solo adoro, Hess 263 (sketch of WoO 186) [0:45]; Man Graf, ich komme zu fragen, WoO 221 [1:50]; Esel capture Esel, WoO 227 [0:36]; Kurz ist der Schmerz, WoO 166 [1:30]; Canon in G Greater, WoO 160, No.

1, “O care selve” [1:15]; Canon strike home C Major, WoO 160, Thumb. 2 [1:14]
Michael HAYDN (1737–1806): Glück fehl’ dir vor allem, MH 582 (attributed to Beethoven style WoO 171) [0:50]
Karl HOLZ (1799–1958): Holz geigt die Quartette as follows (attributed to Beethoven as Romance 204) [0:30]