DAILY DOSE OF BEETHOVEN (July 3, 2020)
The children's song “Marmotte”, is another example of folk songs that Beethoven set to music. “Marmotte” was composed between 1790-1805, as one of a set of 8 songs (8 Lieder, Op. 52, No. 7).
Around 1770, Beethoven attended a play by his friend, the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and was very moved by the poem about the begging, playing children with their little marmottes. (Marmots are relatively large ground squirrels that lives in Asia, Europe and North America. They were often used by travelling musicians with hurdy-gurdies (or bag-pipes), to perform various tricks.)
Beethoven took Goethe’s poem, which was in a mix of Austrian and French, and wrote a song for Baritone and piano, of a child singing about his begging and traveling as he played his hurdy-gurdy with his dancing Marmotte. 
Original Text:
Ich komme schon durch manche Land,
Avecque la marmotte,
Und immer was zu essen fand
Avecque la marmotte,
Avecque si, avecque la,
Avecque la marmotte.
Ich hab’ gesehn gar manchen Herrn,
Avecque la marmotte,
Der hätt die Jungfern gar zu gern,
Avecque la marmotte,
Avecque si, avecque la,
Avecque la marmotte.
Hab' auch gesehn die Jungfer schön,
Avecque la marmotte,
Die täte nach mir Kleinem sehn,
Avecque la marmotte,
Avecque si, avecque la,
Avecque la marmotte.
Nun laßt mich nicht so gehn, ihr Herrn,
Avecque la marmotte,
Die Burschen essen und trinken gern,
Avecque la marmotte,
Avecque si, avecque la,
Avecque la marmotte.
Translation:
I have come already through many a land,
with the marmot
and always found something to eat
with the marmot,
here and there,
with the marmot.
I have seen so many men
with the marmot
that love the maidens all so well,
with the marmot,
hhere and there,
with the marmot.
I've also seen the fair maiden
with the marmot
who look at the little man that I am,
with the marmot,
here and there,
with the marmot.
Now do not let me go like this, you gentlemen,
with the marmot
the fellows love to eat and drink,
with the marmot,
here and there,
with the marmot.
Here is a professional version performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
and here is a version performed by children:
We love how adorable these children are as they got ready to perform!