Beethoven 250: Opera, Choral, and Other Vocal Works

Beethoven depicted by N. C. Wyeth 

As I explained in the January 24, 2020 post, I purchased the Naxos collection of Beethoven's complete works (90 CDs), which I plan to listen to this year, leading up to Beethoven's 250th birthday on December 16. 

This has been a busy semester, but I've continued my listening. Here is more of Beethoven's music!  ("WoO" means "Werke ohne Opuszahl"---"Works without opus number"---and "Hess" refers to Willy Hess, a Swiss musicologist who compiled a catalogue of Beethoven's works in the 1950s.)  

During the past few weeks I listened to discuss 66-79 and so I still have 80-90 to go.   

Disc 66 

The ballet The Creatures of Prometheus (Op. 43, 1800-01)

67 

The opera Fidelio (Op. 72, 1814), Act 1  

68 

Act 2 of Fidelio; the commemorative work König Stephan (Op. 117, 1811) 

69

The opera Leonore (1805 version of Fidelio), beginning. 

70 

The remainder of Leonore 

71  

The vocal works Egmont (Op. 84, 1809-10), Vestas Feuer (Hess 115, 1803), and Leonore Prohaska, WoO 96 (1815). 

72 

The Ruins of Athens (Op. 113, 1811); Die Weihe des Hauses Overture (Op. 124, 1822), Musik zu Carl Meisis Gelegenheitsfestspiel (Hess 118, 1811); The Ruins of Athens march with chorus (Op. 114, 1811); Die Weihe des Hauses: Wo Sich die Pulse (WoO 98, 1822). 

73

The Glorious Moment (Op. 136, 1814); Fantaskia in C minor, Op. 80, “Choral Fantasy (Op. 80, 1808). 

74

Missa Solemnis (Op. 123, 1823). 

75 

Cantata on the accession of Emperor Leopold II (WoO 88, c 1790); Mass in C Major (Op. 86, 1807). 

76

Christ on the Mount of Olives (Op. 85, 1803) 

77

Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage (Op. 112, 1815; Cantata on the death of the Emperor Joseph II (WoO 87, 1790), and five others.

78 

Irish Songs (WoO 152, 1810-13)

79 

Irish Songs (WoO 152, 1810-15)

80 

Irish Songs (WoO 154, 1810-15); Welsh Songs (WoO 155, 1810-15)

81 

Scottish Songs (WoO 156, 1810-12)

82 

4 English Songs (WoO 157, 1816/19); 29 Songs of Various Nationality (WoO 158, 1816-20) 

83 

25 Scottish Songs (Op. 108, 1810-20) 

84 

More Irish, Welsh, Scottish Songs, and songs of various nationalities 

85-88 

Lieder, Vol. 1-4

89

Voice and orchestra works

90 

Canons and musical jokes 

Here is a short, interesting piece about Fidelio and Leonore. https://www.classicalwcrb.org/post/beethovens-leonore-original-masterpiece#stream/0 As it says there, Beethoven's only opera premiered as "Leonore" in 1805. But Beethoven reworked the music, resulting in a renamed "Fidelio" that premiered in 1814. 

Years ago I had an LP of "Fidelio," with the music conducted by the renowned Wilhelm Furtwängler. I listened to the opera but, interestingly, the booklet inside the LP set contained no essays about the opera but, instead, a long essay about the conductor. It was a fascinating article, however, which discussed his intuitive approach. 

Listening to this set, I enjoyed "Leonore" a little more than "Fidelio." It seemed freer than the more well-known 1814. 

I didn't realize that Beethoven only wrote one oratorio, "Christ on the Mount of Olives." Here is an essay about it. https://lso.co.uk/more/blog/1393-an-introduction-to-beethoven-s-christ-on-the-mount-of-olives.html The piece dates from the era of the Heiligenstadt Testament when Beethoven's hearing loss was growing worse. The sadness and also the optimism of his struggles can be heard in the oratorio as well. 

I also used to have an LP of the "Missa Solemnis," conducted by Kurt Masur. The mass is a good complement to the Ninth Symphony but is much less often performed. Here are a couple essays about that. 

https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/2348/missa-solemnis

https://coloradosymphony.org/Blog/the-greatest-piece-never-heard-why-beethovens-missa-solemnis-is-a-hidden-gem

More to come!