For our contribution to the anniversary year celebrating the heritage of Ludwig van Beethoven, we are proud to present the great song accompanist and vocal scholar and author Graham Johnson discussing Beethoven’s crucially innovative role in the historical development of lieder – a vital achievement on a substantial scale that is sometimes overlooked in the context not only of the lied’s chronology but also of the composer’s overall oeuvre. There are 722 catalogued works by Beethoven – and nearly 250 of these are songs: thus there were more songs than compositions in any other genre he wrote for. Only relatively few of them are famous, and in vividly painted detail about the music, the poets who inspired Beethoven, and the circumstances in his life when he wrote the songs, Graham Johnson brings to life the genesis of many magnificent rarities as well as the celebrated lieder. For musical illustrations, of which there are 32 examples in this feature, we are, as always, indebted to Warner Classics for enabling us to include extracts from their massive catalogue of recordings by acclaimed artists: in this instance we have excerpts from their exhaustive complete Beethoven edition issued for the anniversary year, plus a new recording made specially for the anniversary and releasing exactly at the same time as this feature. All the details follow below.

-Jon Tolansky, February 2020

MUSIC DETAILS:
An die Ferne Geliebte: “Auf dem Hügel sitz ich spähend” – Thomas Hampson and Geoffrey Parsons – Warner Classics 5751872

“Schilderung eines Mädchens” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Elegie auf den Tod eines Pudels” – Vincent Lièvre-Picard and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“An Laura” – Vincent Lièvre-Picard and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Que le temps me dure” – Dania El Zein and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Der Kuss” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Seufzer eines Ungeliebten…Gegenliebe” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“La Tiranna” – Vincent Lièvre-Picard and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Adelaide” – Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano – Warner Classics (releasing with catalogue number on 10 April)

“Zärtliche Liebe (Ich Liebe Dich)” – Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano – Warner Classics (releasing with catalogue number on 10 April)

“In questa tomba oscura” – Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano – Warner Classics (releasing with catalogue number on 10 April)

“Bitten” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Maigesang” – Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano – Warner Classics (releasing with catalogue number on 10 April)

“Mit einem Gemalten Band” – Olaf Bär and Geoffrey Parsons – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Aus Goethes Faust (Flohlied)” – Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano – Warner Classics (releasing with catalogue number on 10 April)

“Wonne der Wehmut” – Olaf Bär and Geoffrey Parsons – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Neue Liebe, Neues Leben” – Vincent Lièvre-Picard and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

An die Ferne Geliebte: “Diese Wolken in den Höhen” – Thomas Hampson and Geoffrey Parsons – Warner Classics 5751872

An die Ferne Geliebte: “Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au” – Thomas Hampson and Geoffrey Parsons – Warner Classics 5751872

“Kennst du das Land?” – Natalie Perez and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Die Trommel Gerühret” – Birgit Nilsson and Philharmonia Orchestra conductor Otto Klemperer – Warner Classics 5679652

“Feuerfarb” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“An die Hoffnung” – Version 1 – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“An die Hoffnung” – Version 2 – Herman Prey and Gerald Moore – Warner Classics 9029539882

“An den Fernen Geliebten” – Natalie Perez and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Der Gesang der Nachtigall” – Natalie Perez and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Der Wachtelschlag” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Das Liebe Kätzchen” – Natalie Perez and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Resignation” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Oj, oj upilem sie karzcmie” – Łukasz Romejko and Jean-Pierre Armengaud – Warner Classics 9029539882

“Abendlied unterm gestirnten Himmel” – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll – Warner Classics 9029539882

An die Ferne Geliebte: “Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder” – Thomas Hampson and Geoffrey Parsons – Warner Classics 5751872