WoO 106 Lobkowitz-Kantate, Es lebe, unser teurer Fürst!, For soprano and mixed choir in three voices (two in treble clef and one in bass clef) with piano accompaniment.
Allegro ma non troppo
WoO 106 – Lobkowitz Cantata “Es lebe, unser teurer Fürst!”, for soprano and mixed choir in three voices (two in treble clef and one in bass clef) with piano accompaniment, 12 April 1823, first published by Nohl in Neue Briefe Beethovens, 1867, no. 255, pages 221-228. GA. no. 274 (series 25/11) – B. 199 – KH. (WoO)106 – T. 208.
The location of the original manuscript is unknown. This short composition was written for the birthday of Prince Ferdinand Lobkowitz, son of Prince Franz Joseph (the well-known friend and patron of Beethoven, who died in 1816). It is an occasional piece with words by Beethoven himself. Following an exuberant Allegro non troppo introduction: “Es lebe unser teurer Fürst!”, sung by the soprano and repeated by the choir, there is an Adagio assai by the soprano in praise of the celebrant. The opening tempo returns with the same words as at the beginning, to conclude with a broader participation from the choir.
[By Biamonti Giovanni – Catalogo cronologico e tematico delle opere di Beethoven comprese quelle inedite e gli abbozzi non utilizzati, Torino, ILTE 1968]
Official title: WoO 106 Es lebe unser teurer Fürst Kantate (Es-dur) nach einem eigenen Text für Solostimme, Chor und Klavier Widmung: — NGA XII/1 Nr. 93 AGA 274 = Serie 25/11 Beiname: Lobkowitz-Kantate (nach dem Entstehungsanlass)
Origin and publication: The cantata was probably composed on 12 April 1822. The first edition of the score was published posthumously in Ludwig Nohl’s new literal edition of 1867. Beethoven composed the short cantata in honour of Prince Ferdinand Joseph Johann Lobkowitz, son of Beethoven’s patron, Prince Franz Joseph Maximilian Lobkowitz, and his wife Karoline. According to a statement by Lobkowitz’s private advisor, Karl Peters (1782-1849), to whom Beethoven handed over the autograph manuscript, the cantata was written “da er bei einem Besuche bei uns von dem nahen Geburtstagsfeste des Fürsten hörte. Und machen Sie da keine Festlichkeit? fragte er mich. Was ich mit ,Nein‘ beantwortete. ,Nein, das geht nicht,“ sagte er, ,da will ich Ihnen schnell eine Cantate schreiben, die Sie ihm singen sollen.’ Zum letzteren kam es nicht mehr.“
A copy of the manuscript received by Alexander W. Thayer from Edmund Schebek, which is no longer traceable today, refers to the year 1822 as the date of origin. 13 April 1822 was the 25th birthday of the prince. It is therefore plausible, as Helga Lühning suggests, that the cantata was indeed composed at that time, contrary to the dating of the copies. The first performance is unknown.
The sketches will be featured in an article specially created for the Beethovenian Music Research Center, www.lvbeethoven.org
