One of the greatest joys for a music lover is to discover repertoire that one has not yet heard from a composer whose music one believes one was largely familiar. Beethoven’s folk song settings are truly a treat; this is easily the least familiar and least appreciated realm of his considerable output. What is probably the most striking aspect of these folk song settings is that Beethoven wrote far more of these than any other type of composition, having composed an astounding 179 folk song arrangements spanning a period of eleven years from 1809 to 1820.
Collected together for the first time – integrally – on CD are
Fischer-Dieskau’s much-requested recordings of folk song arrangements. In 1960, he recorded folk song settings by Haydn, Beethoven and Weber (in German). Later, in 1970, he recorded further folk song settings by Beethoven, this time in English. These are now collected on a 2CD set for the first time.
Folk Song Arrangements
BEETHOVEN
HAYDN
WEBER
‘Music, Love and Wine’ (W. Smith) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108 No. 1
‘The Highland Watch’ (J. Hogg) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108 No. 22
‘Once more I hail Thee’ (R. Burns) 25 Irish Songs, WoO 152
‘Bonny Ladie, Highland lady’ (J. Hogg) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108
‘Behold my Love how green the groves’ (R. Burns) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108
‘The Pulse of an Irishman’ (A. Boswell) 12 Irish Songs, WoO 15
‘Constancy’ (R. Burns) 26 Welsh Songs, WoO 155
‘The Elfin Fairies’ (D. Thompson) 12 Irish Songs, WoO 154
‘Ye Shepherds of this pleasant Vale’ (W. Hamilton) 12 Scottish Songs, WoO 156
‘Sunset’ (Walter Scott) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108
‘He Promis’d me at Parting’ (W. Smith) 12 Irish Songs, WoO 154
‘Enchantress, Fare well’ (Walter Scott) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108
‘Put round the bright Wine’ (W. Smith) 12 Irish Songs, WoO 154
‘Since all the Vows’ Verschiedene Volkslieder, WoO 157
‘O sweet were the Hours’ (W. Smyth) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108
‘Duncan Gray’ (R. Burns) 12 Scottish Songs, WoO 156
‘Faithful Johnie’ 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108
‘Could this ill World have been contriv’d’ (J. Hogg) 25 Scottish Songs, Op. 108
‘Highlander’s Lament’ (R. Burns) Verschiedene Volkslieder, WoO 157
‘Farewell, Bliss and Farewell Nancy’ (Mrs. Grant) 25 Irish Songs, WoO 152
Edith Mathis, soprano
Julia Hamari, mezzo soprano
Alexander Young, tenor
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone
RIAS Kammerchor
Andreas Roehn, Helmut Heller, violins
Georg Donderer, Irmgard Poppen, cellos
Aurèle Nicolet, flute
Karl Engel, piano