In the spring of 1805, Beethoven wrote to Countess Josephine Deym:
why is there no language, which can express what is far above all mere regard — far above everything — that we can ever describe — Oh, who can name you — and not feel that however much he could speak about you — that would never attain — to you — only in music — Alas, am I not too proud when I believe that music is more at my command than words —You, you, my all, my happiness — alas, no — even in my music I cannot do so, although in this respect, thou, Nature hast not stinted me with thy gifts. Yet there is too little for you. Beat, though in silence, poor heart — that is all you can do, nothing more — for you — always for you — eternally you — only you until I sink into the grave. (Emily Anderson, ed., Letters of Beethoven, No. 112)
The second of two songs that Beethoven wrote for Josephine Deym in 1805 is “Andenken” (“Thinking of you”) with a text by Friedrich von Matthison, Beethoven set five of Matthison’s other poems to music, including “Adelaide” (Day 45).
#Beethoven250 Day 186
“Andenken” (WoO 136), 1805
Japanese tenor Keisuke Konno (@konno_keisuke) in a video posted just six days ago.
The four verses of Matthisson’s “Andenken” are:
I think of you
When the chords
Of the nightingales
Sound through the grove.
When do you think of me?
I think of you
In the twilight
Of evening’s glow
By the shady spring.
Where do you think of me?
I think of you
With sweet torment
And anxious longing
And warm tears.
How do you think of me?
O think of me,
Until we are united
In a better world.
However far away,
I think only of you.
#Beethoven250 Day 186
“Andenken” (WoO 136), 1805
Russian-born German soprano Lilia Dornhof.
In 1808, Beethoven apologized to a periodical that had agreed to publish “Andenken”:
Firstly I had to look for the song and then on top of that, since I had long ago delivered the manuscript into a beautiful pair of hands, I had to recopy an error-ridden copy myself.
#Beethoven250 Day 186
“Andenken” (WoO 136), 1805
Soprano Ursula Grace Fuller, at the time a 16-year-old high school senior in Michigan.
The Friedrich von Matthisson poem that Beethoven used for “Andenken” was also set by Schubert as a song (D. 99) and as a trio for two tenors and bass (D. 423). “Andenken” is one of 29 Matthisson poems that Schubert set to music.