DAILY DOSE of BEETHOVEN (May 2,2020)
Great masterpieces do not come out of nowhere. Beethoven worked on setting Schiller's Ode to Joy for decades. While serious composition of the Ninth Symphony appears to have begun in 1823, an important preparation took place in 1808.
On December 22, 1808, Beethoven premiered his Fantasy (Fantasia) for piano, vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra, Op. 80, also called the Choral Fantasy, alongside the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, the Fourth Piano Concerto, as well as excerpts of the Mass in C major.
Beethoven commissioned a poet to write words for the composition, which uniquely included orchestra, solo piano and a chorus. If the beautiful words (text and translation below) remind us of the Ode to Joy, that’s because Beethoven acknowledges that the work was a study for setting the Ode to Joy. If the long piano introduction seems like an improvisation, that's because it was! Beethoven improvised it at the world premier. Whatever he set down on paper later probably varies from it somewhat. We might never know.
We include the beautiful performance of this composition by Martha Argerich, conducted by Seiji Ozawa!
Text and translation:
Schmeichelnd hold und lieblich klingen
(Graceful, charming and sweet is the sound)
unseres Lebens Harmonien,
(Of our life’s harmonies,)
und dem Schönheitssinn entschwingen
(and from a sense of beauty arise)
Blumen sich, die ewig blühn.
(Flowers which eternally bloom.)
Fried und Freude gleiten freundlich
(Peace and joy advance in perfect concord,)
wie der Wellen Wechselspiel.
(like the changing play of the waves.)
Was sich drängte rauh und feindlich,
(All that was harsh and hostile,)
ordnet sich zu Hochgefühl.
(has turned into sublime delight.)
Wenn der Töne Zauber walten
(When music's enchantment reigns,)
und des Wortes Weihe spricht,
(speaking of the sacred word,)
muss sich Herrliches gestalten,
(Magnificence takes form,)
Nacht und Stürme warden Licht.
(The night and the tempest turns to light:)
Äuß're Ruhe, inn're Wonne
(Outer peace and inner bliss
herrschen für den Glücklichen.
(Reign o'er the fortunate ones.)
Doch der Künste Frühlingssonne
(All art in the spring's sun)
läßt aus beiden Licht entstehn.
(Lets light flow from both.)
Großes, das ins Herz gedrungen,
(Greatness, once it has pierced the heart,)
blüht dann neu und schön empor.
(Then blooms anew in all its beauty.)
Hat ein Geist sich aufgeschwungen,
(Once one's being has taken flight,)
hallt ihm stets ein Geisterchor.
(A choir of spirits resounds in response.)
Nehmt denn hin, ihr schönen Seelen,
(Accept then, you beautiful souls,)
froh die Gaben schöner Kunst
(Joyously the gifts of high art.)
Wenn sich Lieb und Kraft vermählen,
(When love and strength are united,)
lohnt den Menschen Göttergunst.
(Divine grace is bestowed upon Man.)