Opus 88 – Das Glück der Freundschaft: Lied for voice and piano
Andante quasi allegretto
Opus 88 – Das Glück der Freundschaft: for voice and piano, 1803 no later than September, published in Vienna, Loschenkol, October 1803. GA. no. 222 (series 23/8) – Boett. V/ll – B. 88 – KH. 88-L. III, p. 228 – N. 88 – T. 113.
Official title: „Opus 88“ Lebensglück (Das Glück der Freundschaft) Lied (A-dur) nach dem Text eines unbekannten Verfassers für Singstimme und Klavier Widmung: -NGA XII/1 Nr. 26 AGA 222 = Serie 23/8
Shortly after its first publication, at the end of the same year, the work was reprinted in Leipzig by Hoffmeister and Kühnel under the title “Lebens-glück”, with the addition to the original German text of a rather approximate and unfortunate rhythmic Italian version. The original manuscript has been lost. However, an extensive sketch survives on pages 62 and 63 of the well-known Eroica sketchbook, inserted between drafts of the symphony. It contains only the German text and the vocal line written in the treble clef. Given that the sketch shows only minimal alterations of little interest compared to the printed version, Nottebohm concluded that the piece must already have been completed beforehand and that this manuscript, as with others, represents a final draft prepared for publication. The author of the German text is unknown, and even less is known about the creator of the rather unremarkable Italian version. Musically, the piece is not of extraordinary merit; it might be considered close—though still inferior—to the song “Ich liebe dich”: a judgement that De Curzon also more or less echoed, describing it as a “gazouillis gracieux” and recognising in the other “une simplicité pleine de grâce.”
The text:
Der lebt ein Leben wonniglich,
Deß Herz ein Herz gewinnt;
Geteilte Lust verdoppelt sich,
Geteilter Gram zerrinnt.
Beblümte Wege wandelt ab,
Wem trauliches Geleit;
Den Arm die gold’ne Freundschaft gab
In dieser eh’rnen Zeit.
Sie weckt die Kraft und spornt den Mut
Zu schönen Taten nur,
Und nährt in uns die heil’ge Glut
Für Wahrheit und Natur.
Erreichet hat des Glückes Ziel,
Wer eine Freundin fand,
Mit der der Liebe Zartgefühl
Ihn inniglich verband.
Entzückt von ihr, ihr beigesellt,
Verschönert sich die Bahn;
Durch sie allein blüht ihm die Welt
Und Alles lacht ihn an.
Composition and Publication: Composed in the spring/summer of 1803 in Vienna, the work is dated according to the notes in the sketchbook Landsberg 6 and the original edition, which was published by Loeschenkohl in Vienna at the beginning of October 1803. Gustav Nottebohm’s hypothesis—that the melody written in Landsberg 6 is a copy of a previously completed song „behufs der Herausgabe niedergeschrieben wurde“ (Nottebohm/Landsberg p. 56)—is considered erroneous by Helga Lühning. In such cases, Beethoven normally also copied the piano part and usually revised it more extensively than the vocal line (Lühning/NGAXII/1 KB p. 27).
The exact publication date of Loeschenkohl’s original edition is documented both by its advertisement in the Wiener Zeitung and by a letter from Ferdinand Ries to Simrock dated 12 October 1803: „So den Augenblick erhalte ich dies Lied von Beethoven. Weil ich glaube, daß es Ihnen lieb ist, es gleich zu haben, so schicke ich es Ihnen mit der Briefpost, es ist seit einer halben Stunde erst zu haben und die Post geht gleich ab. Es ist noch in keiner Musikhandlung zu haben.“ (BGA 162). Loeschenkohl advertised Beethoven’s song (without an opus number) on 8 October 1803 in the Wiener Zeitung, alongside a song by Vanhal („Die Vollmondnacht auf dem kahlen Berge“) and one by Abbé Vogler („Der schöne Morgen am Prater“), using the following words: „Diese 3 Lieder sind auf Sonnenblumen-Blätter abgedruckt und werden sich nicht allein wegen ihren innern Werth, als auch ihrer äusserlichen Neuheit und Schönheit bey unseren verehrungswürdigen Theresen sehr empfehlen.“
The title of Beethoven’s song in this announcement is „Das Glück der Freundschaft am Theresien-Tage“. The three songs were published as commemorative pieces for the name day celebration on 15 October, the feast of St Teresa of Ávila.
The edition (apparently only the first copies) appeared in a special format, printed on green paper cut into the shape of a sunflower leaf. The price was listed as 36 kreuzers; in repeated advertisements on 21 January 1804 (no longer referencing the Theresientag), the price was 30 kreuzers, and again on 3 April 1805 (marketed as “neu zu haben”, now as an Easter gift), it returned to 36 kreuzers.
When the publishing house of Hieronymus Löschkohl (who died on 11 January 1807) was liquidated and auctioned, Joseph Eder acquired the plates for Op. 88, as well as those for Opp. 10 and 13.
Text: Author unknown. In a reprint by Zulehner (see Fonti IV, ca. 1806), the poet was erroneously named as Christoph August Tiedge. According to Ferdinand Ries, the text of the original edition had been altered by the publisher Loeschenkohl. On 22 October 1803, Ries informed Simrock of the version of the text as approved by Beethoven, which is also written in the sketchbook Landsberg 6, so that Simrock could print it correctly (BGA 165). However, Simrock ultimately modified only one of the six textual passages (Lühning/NGA XII/1 KB pp. 26f).
The title „Lebensglück“ is by Beethoven himself, though in the Loeschenkohl and Simrock editions it appears as „Das Glück der Freundschaft“. Hoffmeister & Kühnel accepted Beethoven’s version of the text and also used his title in the reprint published in 1803.
Regarding the opus number: The work was published without an opus number. It was later assigned Opus 88 in the Catalogue des Oeuvres, which Artaria included in the original edition of the Piano Sonata Op. 106 in 1819. For the assignment of opus numbers 87–89, see Opus 87. In Hofmeister’s thematic catalogue, Op. 88 is mistakenly cited as the score of the opera Fidelio (Hofmeister/Index 1819).
The date of the first performance is unknown.
Sketches of the melody: PL-Kj, Mus. SM. autogr. Beethoven Landsberg 6 (“Eroica”), pages 62f. Date: spring/summer 1803. Facsimile: SBB; facsimile and transcription: Lockwood/Gosman, Landsberg 6. First original edition (1803, October): Vienna, Löschkohl, PN 3. Title: „Das / GLÜCK DER FREUNDSCHAFT. / in Music gesetzt / VAN BETHOVEN. [!] /. bey Löschenkohl in Wien. / 1803.“
