Unv.18 = Biamonti 477 – “Wehrmanns Lied” Biamonti 478? : Austria above all, to the text by Collin, March – April 1809. A draft included in a group of sheets described by Nottebohm in Zweite Beethoveniana, page 262, and quoted by him as follows (I provide the entire draft, NDA). A patriotic Lied composed on the occasion of Austria and England entering the Fifth Coalition against Bonaparte (April 1809). The war lasted only a few months but was disastrous for Austria: Vienna was occupied by French troops, and it was defeated at Wagram in July. Austria had to sign a peace treaty in October. Many noble families, in addition to the imperial family, had left the city during this period. Beethoven remained there: however, whether the physical and moral hardships had any impact on the character of the works he composed or drafted during this time — except perhaps delaying the completion of some — we cannot say. Only in the first two movements of the Sonata in E-flat Major for Piano, Op. 81a, can we perhaps see signs of a depressed state of mind. (The sketchbook referred to by Biamonti and Nottebohm is the Landsberg 5, NDA).

Sketched in March 1809. The reasons for Beethoven not completing the work remain unknown. Perhaps he did not wish to enter direct competition with the acclaimed works of the genre by Joseph Weigl composed during the same period.

The lyrics of the Lied “Oesterreichischer Wehrmänner” by the poet Heinrich Joseph von Collin were published in Vienna by A. Strauss and later republished in the collection Collin’s sämmtliche Werke, Bd. 4 Epische und lyrische Gedichte, Vienna 1813. The poetic text is based on a lyric by Philipp Wilhelm von Hoernigk, “Oestreich über Alles.”

According to Matthäus von Collin, Heinrich Joseph von Collin’s brother, this poem was published thanks to the insistence of the Austrian army major Catinelli, who urged his friend, the poet, to write compositions celebrating the victories and power of Austria.

On this subject, Collin’s biography reads as follows (from page 433): “In Austria, starting from the year 1808, everything gradually took on a martial character. Preparations were made for a landwehr (citizen militia), and every person able to bear arms was trained for military service; grand events, previously unseen, took place. Collin was invited by his dear friend, the k.k. Lieutenant Colonel Catinelli, to compose a number of lyrics suitable for the occasion, (The allied nations from 1809 formed the so-called ‘Fifth Coalition’ against Napoleon – NDA) and to express the sentiments that had sparked that worthy and noble enthusiasm; the poet said that he had never received a task more sacred, more dear to his innermost desires than this. He therefore created these lyrics full of great enthusiasm, strength, and overflowing emotion, as his heart beat fervently for the homeland, along the same path later followed by other singers, not as inspired, who also ventured into this theme. When the first edition of this lyric was released, accompanied by music by Mr. Weigl, a frenzy of joy seized the assembly; the expression of the most unrestrained enthusiasm erupted, to the extent that many could claim it was the most wonderful day of their lives.” (Collin / Biography, p. 433F.)

The text of Collin’s poems was finished in the autumn of 1808, at least in its first version, but was not published until February 1809 (second edition in print, April). “Oestreich über Alles” immediately became the most popular song in the collection. The Wehrmannslieder were set to music several times, for instance by the aforementioned Joseph Weigl (published by A. Strauss in 1809) and by Adalbert Gyrowetz.

Weigl’s songs were performed on 25 March 1809 at a musical academy at the Court Theatre next to the castle, and the concert was repeated in the presence of the imperial couple on 28 March. Johann Friedrich Reichardt described the details in his “Vertrauten Briefen”, letter dated 31 March 1809.