The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume IIIThayer, Alexander Wheelock
History
The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume III
Thayer, Alexander Wheelock
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827
songs “Opferlied” and “Bundeslied” were composed to be sung by the
tenor Ehlers at a benefit concert in Pressburg, is wrong. Schindler’s
inexactitude as to dates is shown by his statements that the concert
took place in 1822 and the song published in 1826. The first song was
written in the soprano clef; the second has tenor clef but two solo
voices; neither was made for Ehlers. As to the “Bundeslied” (words by
Goethe) so far as the history of the song is concerned, the documentary
evidence is found in the sketchbook just mentioned; whether or not it
had its origin at an earlier date has not been ascertained,[101] but
received alterations later. It, too, was published by Schott in 1825.
[Sidenote: MINOR COMPOSITIONS OF THE YEAR 1823]
Besides these songs, and the Bagatelles mentioned in the letter of
February, 1823, as sent to Peters, there are several other minor
compositions which may well be discussed here. The Tattoo with
percussive instruments (Turkish music), the two other Tattoos and a
March, were all old compositions. Up to 1874, when the letter was
made public, only one of the Tattoos had been printed. It was that
in F major, which, according to the autograph preserved by Artaria,
was composed for the Bohemian _Landwehr_ in 1809 and then designated
as March No. 1. A copy more fully orchestrated than it is in the
printed form was dedicated to Prince Anton in that year.[102] A second
autograph of later date (also in Artaria’s collection) is entitled
“Zapfenstreich No. 1.” Here the march had a trio which has not become
known. It was then, together with the one that follows, rewritten for
the tournament at Laxenburg held in honor of the birthday of Empress
Maria Ludovica on August 25, 1810, and this version has been printed
in the Complete Edition of Beethoven’s works.[103] In the earliest
print by Schlesinger it is number 37 in a collection of “Quick-steps
for the Prussian Army. For the York Corps”; but Nottebohm says that
the version does not agree with any of the manuscripts mentioned.
Simultaneously with this march another was published which was composed
in 1810 for Archduke Anton. An autograph at Haslinger’s bears the
inscription “Zapfenstreich No. 3,” and below it “One step to each
measure.” A copy in the archives of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
is inscribed “March for H. I. Highness, the Archduke Anton, by Ludwig
van Beethoven, 1810 on the 3rd of the Summermonth” (i. e., June). A
third form was prepared for the tournament of 1810, and this has been
published. Artaria had a “Trio No. 3” in F minor, 6-4 time. This is
followed in the “Gesammt-Ausgabe” by a third in C major with a trio
in F major, which was published from a copy made by Nottebohm. This,
which has been published by Haslinger, Steger, and Liszt and Franke,
was entitled “Zapfenstreich No. 2.” In Nottebohm’s opinion it belongs
to the two others and like them had its origin between 1809 and June
1810. These were the three Tattoos which Beethoven sent to Peters,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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