Rare Beethoven works revisited - Funeral March from Leonore Prohaska

[Peter]

Funeral March from Leonore Prohaska WoO96nr4


The incidental music to the tragedy Leonore Prohaska was begun in 1815 and tells the true story of a young woman from Potsdam who disguised herself as a man, took the name of Renz and enlisted with the Volunteer rifles in the wars of liberation, receiving a fatal wound in a skirmish in 1813. Beethoven wrote the music at the request of the poet Johann Duncker, but was himself unenthusiastic about the project. For the funeral march, he re-used the march from his piano sonata Op.26, transposing it into the key of B minor. When it transpired that no performance was to take place after all, Beethoven lost any interest he may have had and abandoned the project. The work consists of 4 numbers - (the first three, brief and lightweight) - Chorus of warriors, Romance, melodrama and the more substantial funeral march.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92EqLh2-lzI[/YOUTUBE]

[Preston]

Now see, this piece I can "connect with" 'somewhat'. In other words, I feel it better than other Beethoven and can enjoy it more.

Anyway, thank you for the synopsis, as always I enjoy those. I did not know of the story behind Leonore Prohaska - interesting.

[Chris]

Fine music indeed. You know, when I was first getting into Beethoven I totally ignored Leonore Prohaska, because I thought it was the same thing as Leonore. Oops

[Michael]

Fine music indeed. You know, when I was first getting into Beethoven I totally ignored Leonore Prohaska, because I thought it was the same thing as Leonore. Oops

Quite understandable, what with the three Leonore overtures and the different versions of Fidelio. One of the other pieces from Prohaska is a lovely song with harp accompaniment - a unique combination in Beethoven.