Tuesday, September 21, 2021

XX. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: Adelaide, Op. 46

XX. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Adelaide, Op. 46 (1795)

Two Versions
:

1. Peter Schreier and Walter Olbertz, with scrolling score (6:39)

2. The great Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Wolfgang Sawallisch (1974) (6:15)

The 25-year-old Beethoven had recently completed his studies with Haydn, and set this beautiful poem by Friedrich von Matthisson to music.

In the initial section, as he accompanies the words "Einsam wandelt dein Freund" ("Your friend wanders alone"), the music modulates (wanders) several times into beautifully remote flat keys, before moving back to B-Flat Major for the final verses.

Einsam wandelt dein Fruend im Frühlingsgarten,
Mild vom lieblichen Zauberlicht umflossen,
Das durch wankende Blüthenzweige zittert,
Adelaide!

Your friend wanders alone in the garden of spring,
Gently bathed in lovely magical light,
Which shimmers through the swaying branches of flowers:
Adelaide!

In der spiegelnden Flut, im Schnee der Alpen,
In des sinkenden Tages Goldgewölke,
In Gefilde der Sterne strahit dein Bildnis,
Adelaide!

In the reflection of the river, in the snows of the Alps,
In the golden clouds of sinking day,
In the fields of stars thy face beams forth,
Adelaide!

Abendlüftche im zarten Laube flüstern,
Silberglöckchen des Mais im Grase säuseln,
Wellen rauschen und Nachtigallen flöten,
Adalaide!

Evening breezes whisper through the tender leaves,
The silver bells at Maytime rustle in the grass,
Waves roar and nightingales sing,
Adelaide!

Einst, o Wunder! entblüht auf meinem Grabe,
Eine Blume der Asche meines Herzens,
Deutlich schimmert auf jedem Purpurblättchen:
Adelaide!

Some day, o miracle! a flower will blossom,
Upon my grave from the ashes of my heart;
And clearly on every violet petal will shine:
Adelaide!

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