Authentic Instrument mp3s - Elegischer Gesang Op.118

[Peter]

Now available to members at www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/authentic.html

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'Man know thyself'

[Anthina]

wow this is very beautiful, thanks!

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*~Ja, was haben's da scho wieder gmacht, Beethoven?~*

[Luis Mariano]

For those interested in the score:


http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variatio...rge/index.html


regards

[Peter]

Originally posted by Anthina:
wow this is very beautiful, thanks!

Yes a lovely piece that is all too rarely heard.

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'Man know thyself'

[Anthina]

Originally posted by Peter:
Yes a lovely piece that is all too rarely heard.

definitely, one of the small pieces almost forgotten. It would be intresting to know who wrote the text.

"Sanft, wie du lebtest,
hast du vollendet,
zu heilig für den Schmerz!
Kein Auge wein' ob
des himmlischen Geistes Heimkehr."

"Gently, as you lived,
have you died,
too holy for sorrow!
Let no eye shed tears
for the spirit's heavenly homecoming."



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*~Ja, was haben's da scho wieder gmacht, Beethoven?~*

[Peter]

Originally posted by Anthina:
definitely, one of the small pieces almost forgotten. It would be intresting to know who wrote the text.

Aside from Pasqualati, it may have been Ignaz Von Castelli.

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'Man know thyself'

[JA Gardiner]

Ok so never mind Anthina's wedding, that's my funeral sorted! Hopefully it will be a while coming yet.... Do we know why Beethoven chose to write so little choral and vocal music in comparison to others in the Austrian or German heritage such as Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Schubert - it seems such a shame! This piece has the stillness and interiority of his quartets and deep warmth and colour - a musical Rembrandt IMHO. And is it just me feels it has more in common with Handel than Bach or Mozart ?

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Beethoven the Man!

[This message has been edited by JA Gardiner (edited 03-01-2006).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by JA Gardiner:
Ok so never mind Anthina's wedding, that's my funeral sorted!

Are you sure Probation Officers qualify for text such as this!? Only kidding, by coincidence the company I work for organised a big conference for the NPS last year. But back on topic, a nice recording, though I do not like the pregnant pauses before the repetition of the word 'himmlischen' in this performance. It would be interesting to hear a performance in Beethoven's original scoring for the piece but I don't think it exists on CD at the moment.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 03-01-2006).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by JA Gardiner:
And is it just me feels it has more in common with Handel than Bach or Mozart ?

PS.. I doubt if Bach had much, if any, influence on Beethoven's vocal music but op118 has an archaic feel looking back before Mozart's time for sure, like many of B's later compositions. I think Handel's influence on Beethoven was a subtle one. Mozart himself was influenced by Handel in his vocal writing. Though all Beethoven, one could say the simple yet subtle harmonies in op118 have something in common with Handel's own late style in particular which, aside from the epic choruses, was often almost etherial and deeply heartfelt and sincere in nature (even in the more jollier numbers) with great poise.

I think this simplicity and subtlety is what Beethoven learned from Handel and is an influencing factor in his (Bs) late period style, though not the only such factor of course. Certainly the Missa Solemnis would not have been as it was (is) withough B having a fair knowledge of late Handel works, though here those epic choruses come into play also.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 03-01-2006).]

[gprengel]

This is one of the few pieces of Beethoven which I don't know yet. I would love to listen to the mp3 but it doesn't work. My password is not accepted. What do I do wrong??????

[Chaszz]

Very beautiful piece.

[Peter]

Originally posted by gprengel:
This is one of the few pieces of Beethoven which I don't know yet. I would love to listen to the mp3 but it doesn't work. My password is not accepted. What do I do wrong??????

The forum password is not the same as the one to access the mp3s which was sent to you on registration. You can email either me or Chris and we will send it to you - you are missing some fine performances!

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by JA Gardiner:
And is it just me feels it has more in common with Handel than Bach or Mozart ?

PPS I forgot if you want to hear some late Handel now join my yahoogroup (the url is in my profile).

I have another old recording of op118 with modern intruments that is also very good in that you do not get the pregnant pauses I mention above, but the forces used here, although nicely performed, sound huge. I'm not sure a big chorus is best suited to the intimate mood of the text.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 03-03-2006).]

[JA Gardiner]

Originally posted by Rod:
PPS I forgot if you want to hear some late Handel now join my yahoogroup (the url is in my profile).

I have another old recording of op118 with modern intruments that is also very good in that you do not get the pregnant pauses I mention above, but the forces used here, although nicely performed, sound huge. I'm not sure a big chorus is best suited to the intimate mood of the text.

Hi Rod. I'n now signed up on the Handelforum ( Gardiner1525) and looking forward to improving and extending my acquaintance with the St. Paul's Cathedral of classical music - or perhaps its should be the other way round with St. Paul's cathedral being the Hallelujah Chorus of architecture!

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Beethoven the Man!

[Rod]

Originally posted by JA Gardiner:
Hi Rod. I'n now signed up on the Handelforum ( Gardiner1525) and looking forward to improving and extending my acquaintance with the St. Paul's Cathedral of classical music - or perhaps its should be the other way round with St. Paul's cathedral being the Hallelujah Chorus of architecture!

Perhaps both circumstances are appropriate. Hope you have tried the mp3s at my site. Pity you've missed out on so much already, I've been posting tracks there for three years without repeating anything (as far as I can remember). I'll be uploading some new stuff there tomorrow so keep an eye out.


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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin