“The distillation of Beethoven as lover”, as tenor Ian Bostridge puts it, is found in the composer’s song cycle An die ferne Geliebte (To the distant beloved). Bostridge sings this cycle with Antonio Pappano at the piano, and the pair also perform other Beethoven songs including “Adelaide” and his settings of British folksongs, for which they are joined by Vilde Frang and Nicolas Altstaedt on violin and cello.
Featuring
Ian Bostridge
Antonio Pappano
Vilde Frang
Nicolas Altstaedt
Ludwig van Beethoven
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Composer Biography
Beethoven's numerous folksong settings, including eight on this album, were commissioned by Edinburgh publisher George Thomson, who also approached Haydn, Hummel, and Weber.
Composition History
Beethoven's song cycle An die ferne Geliebte is widely considered the first of its kind, marking the first time a major composer organized a group of songs with piano accompaniment into a coherent whole.
Composer Biography
Beethoven's humorous side, often ignored, is revealed in songs like 'Der Kuß', 'Marmotte', 'Selbstgespräch', and 'Aus Goethes Faust', placing him among rare comic Lieder composers.
Critical Reception
George Thomson, the publisher, found Beethoven's folk song arrangements too complex and admonished him for it, as he felt the string parts would not be used much.
Composition History
Beethoven was motivated by financial considerations to arrange folk songs for George Thomson, receiving £550 for Op. 108 alone.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven's setting of 'Aus Goethes Faust' (also known as 'Flohlied' or 'Song of the Flea') includes a witty direction for the accompanist to play two notes with the thumb, as if squashing a flea.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven was irritated by not receiving the texts for the Scottish songs he was arranging, stating that he would produce "completely different compositions" if he had them.
