Opus 82, 4 Ariettes and a Duet for Voice and Piano, for Soprano, Tenor and Piano
I) Hoffnung – II) Liebesklage – III) L’amante impaziente (Comic Arietta) – IV) L’amante impaziente (very serious Arietta) – V) Duet for soprano, tenor and piano. Lebensgenuss
Opus 82 – Four Ariettes and a Duet, for voice and piano, for soprano, tenor and piano, Opus 82, c. 1809 (the original origin of some may date back to the time of the studies with Salieri; in any case, the final setting should always be referred to the period indicated above). Published in Leipzig, Breitkopf and Haertel, July 1811. G.A. 220 (Serie 23/6) Boett. VIII/5-9 – Bruers 82 -Kinsky-Halm 82 – Nottebohm 82 – L.III, page 206. Thayer 163.
[By Biamonti Giovanni – Catalogo cronologico e tematico delle opere di Beethoven comprese quelle inedite e gli abbozzi non utilizzati, Torino, ILTE 1968]
Official title: Opus 82 Vier Arietten und ein Duett nach Texten von Pietro Metastasio (außer Nr. 1) für Singstimmen und Klavier Widmung: — NGA XII/1 Nr. 46-50, 84 AGA 220 = Serie 23/6 SBG V/13 (2. Auflage: 14; Quelle 1.2, Hess 140).
Origin and publication: The songs were composed in Vienna in 1809. The autograph score of Arietta No. 4 bears Beethoven’s own date from that year. The only verifiable sketches probably also date from this period. The original London edition was published by Clementi, Banger, Collard, Davis & Collard in February 1811, followed around March by the Leipzig edition from Breitkopf & Härtel. According to Helga Lühning, the autograph score of No. 1 contains an early version of the arietta, which was revised and corrected several times. While Willy Hess and Max Unger believed that changes to the text may have been made even after printing, and that the autograph therefore represents a later version, Lühning considers this highly improbable. Hess published in SBG V, Nos. 14 and 15 (Hess No. 140), an “Urfassung” he derived from the autograph and an “Endfassung” based on that manuscript, which he consequently dated “nach Juli 1811” (that is, after it went to print). Unger also produced an “Endfassung” based on the autograph, differing from Hess’s version in several details.
Opp. 73–81a and 82, as well as the songs WoO 136, 137 and 139, were part of an agreement between Beethoven and Muzio Clementi (probably during Clementi’s stay in Vienna from 1808 to 1810), intended to secure original publication of certain works in London, Leipzig, or Vienna. On 4 February 1810 Beethoven offered Breitkopf & Härtel the following: “12 Gesänge Mit Begleitung des Klawier’s theils Deutscher theils Italienischer text” (BGA 423). This most likely refers to the Six Songs Op. 75 and the Five Italian Songs Op. 82.
On 16 January 1811 he wrote regarding the twelfth, still-missing composition: “ob ich ihnen zu den italienischen 5 noch eine Kanzonette schicke, kann ich nicht versprechen, Es geht so auch 4 arietten und ein duett -doch sage ich es ihnen nicht ab” (BGA 484). Clementi, who remained in Vienna until the summer of 1810, had already agreed to perform in London shortly after Beethoven’s offer to Breitkopf & Härtel. Clementi met Beethoven’s proposed deadline, but Breitkopf & Härtel experienced delays due to negotiations over payment, so the work did not appear until March 1811. Although Breitkopf & Härtel received autograph scores as engraving models for some of the songs (for example, No. 4), copies were likely sent to Clementi as well. On the whole, however, the English editions display greater editorial care, though the German printing is probably closer to the autograph manuscripts.
Text: The poet and origin of No. 1 are unknown; all the other texts are by Pietro Metastasio (1689–1782): No. 2 from the cantata “Amor timido”; Nos. 3 and 4 from the second version of the dramma per musica “Adriano in Siria,” Emirena’s aria, Act II, Scene 6; No. 5 from the theatrical azione first performed in 1738, “La pace fra la virtù e la bellezza,” Venus and Pallas. The German text of the Breitkopf & Härtel edition is by Christian Schreiber (1781–1857), who was an ecclesiastical councillor in the Electorate of Hesse and superintendent at Lengsfeld in Sachsen-Weimar, a friend of Gottfried Christoph Härtel (1763–1827), and a contributor to the AmZ. Beethoven probably became aware of the additional poems provided by the publisher while the work was already in print (BGA 486). For the original Breitkopf & Härtel editions, Schreiber also prepared the German translations of the texts for the Mass Op. 86 and the new text for the oratorio „Christus am Ölberge“ Op. 85. First performance unknown.
The sketches will be featured in an article specially created for the Beethovenian Music Research Center, www.lvbeethoven.org
Opus 82 number 1 Opus 82 – 1 Hoffnung: Dimmi ben mio che m’ami
A manuscript differing in part, particularly in the accompaniment, from the version published in the G.A. and later than it, is preserved in the library of the Paris Conservatoire (Max Unger, pp. 98/38) (see Hess, Catalogue No. 120, and the fifth issue of the Supplemente zur G.A., pp. 32–37 and 88, 1962). The author of the text is unknown. The music is very gentle and follows the model of delicate Italian melody and phrasing. It is a fine imitation of style and expresses “the pleasure of a beauty created for gracious play; a reflection of a world classically imbued with pure harmony, clear imagery, and a tender brightness of feeling” (Liuzzi, Introduzione alla lirica vocale di Beethoven, p. 16).
The text:
Dimmi ben mio che m’ ami
dimmi che mia tu sei,
e non invidio agli dei
la lor divinità.
Con un tuo sguardo solo,
cara, con un sorriso
tu m’ apri il paradiso
di mia felicità, si, di mia felicità
Opus 82 number 2 Liebesklage: T’ intendo, si, mio cor.
No information survives regarding the original manuscript. The text is taken from Cantata XVII: L’amore timido by Metastasio. Owing to the Italian character of this arietta, the same observations made about the preceding one also apply here.
The text:
T’intendo, sì, mio cor,
Con tanto palpitar!
So che ti vuoi lagnar,
Che amante sei.
Ah! taci il tuo dolor,
Ah! soffri il tuo martir
Tacilo, tacilo e non tradir
L’affetti miei, l’affetti miei!
Opus 82 number 3 L’amante impaziente (comic Arietta): Che fa, che fa il mio bene?
Two pages that imitate the melodramatic style: the first with caricatural intent, the second in the form of a serious aria, which, through its expression and the alternation between slow and lively sections, seeks to convey the heroine’s anxious emotion. Here too, the Italian character of the music should be noted, in accordance with what has already been said regarding the preceding ariettas. The text is by Metastasio, from Adriano in Siria, Act II, Scene 6, though with a few interpolated lines; see Brunelli, Tutte le opere di Metastasio, vol. I, p. 554.
The text:
Che fa, che fa il mio bene?
Perchè, perché non viene?
Vedermi vuole languir
Così, così, così.
Oh come è lento nel corso il sole!
Ogni momento mi sembra un dì,
Che fa, che fa il mio bene?
Perchè, perché non viene?
Vedermi vuole languir
Così, così, così!
Opus 82 number 4 L’amante impaziente (very serious Arietta): Che fa, che fa il mio bene?
Two pages that imitate the melodramatic style: the first with a caricatured intent; the second in the form of a serious aria, which, through its expression and the very alternation of slow and fast movement, aims to convey the anxious feelings of the protagonist. Here too, the Italian character of the music is noteworthy, as already mentioned regarding the previous ariettas. Text by Metastasio from Adriano in Siria, Act Two, Scene Six, with some additional inserted lines; see Brunelli, Tutte le opere di Metastasio, I, page 554.
The text:
Che fa, che fa il mio bene?
Perchè, perché non viene?
Vedermi vuole languir
Così, così, così.
Oh come è lento nel corso il sole!
Ogni momento mi sembra un dì,
Che fa, che fa il mio bene?
Perchè, perché non viene?
Vedermi vuole languir
Così, così, così!
Opus 82 number 5 Duet for soprano, tenor and piano Lebensgenuß: Odi l’ aura che dolce sospira
From the theatrical work La pace tra la virtù e la bellezza. The original manuscript is not known. What has been said regarding the previous Ariettas also applies to this duet.
The text:
Venere:
Odi l’aura che dolce sospira;
mentre fugge scuotendo le fronde;
se l’intendi, ti parla d’amor.
Pallade:
Senti l’onda che rauca s’aggira,
mentre geme radendo le sponde;
se l’intendi, si lagna d’amor.
(a due):
Quell’affetto chi sente nel petto,
sa per prova se nuoce, se giova,
se diletto produce, o dolor!
