Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Italian partsongs

Beethoven began to learn composition twice. In the 1780’s, while still in Bonn, he studied with Christian Neffe; in the 1990’s, already in Vienna, with Antonio Salieri. Neffe took him through Bach’s Wohltemperiertes Klavier, Salieri – through the Italian masters. Southern singing found a firm basis in Northern counterpoint.
Studies with Mozart's antagonist and the future teacher of Schuberta went on for a long time. And yet Beethoven’s italianità is not so easy to find, to catch redhanded. It only stands out in the oratorio Christus am Ölberge and in the opera Fidelio – and, obviously, in the impressive concert aria Ah perfido! It seems, however, that Beethoven’s debt to Salieri mostly consists in the vocal quality of the lyrical parts of his works.
It could be said that Beethoven was somewhat obstinate in his trials with the Italian language and spirit. He produced more than thirty pieces inspired by Italian poetry: canzonettas, ariettas and arias, and vocal duets, trios and quartets. Almost all have been written to the lyrics by a single poet, Pietro Metastasio. They have remain on the margin of Beethoven’s great oeuvre, forgotten and rejected as school pieces, not yet Beethovenian. Among them are four ariettas of 1795, i.e. from a time when Beethoven is only trying to be himself. For he is then the modest author of Trios Op. 1, Three Sonatas Op. 2, dedicated to Haydn, and the first version of Piano Concerto in B flat major.

∙ Dimmi, ben mio (Tell me, my dear). The arietta carries the words of an anonymous poet, speaking of hope for happiness experienced with the beloved in paradiso. Beethoven turns them around à la Baroque, learns how to adorn them with music and seems to be enjoying himself at the same time.

∙ T’intendo si, mio car (I understand you, my dear). Metastasio’s text expresses a love’s complaint, an appeal to one’s own heart not to betray its pain. There is little more here than spinning the yarn by repeating words and ornamenting them with fioriture.

∙ L’amante impaziente I. (The impatient lover). Princess Emirena from Metastasio’s drama Adriano in Siria, molested by Hadrian, awaits the arrival of her beloved to free her – a simple pretext for Beethoven to play with a discreet parody of the opera buffa style.

∙ L’amante impaziente, II. The same lyrics, now interpreted with solemnity and humour, are now given the form of an aria from opera seria.

Mieczysław Tomaszewski