On 28 January 1812, Beethoven wrote to August von Kotzebue:
When I was setting your prologue and epilogue to music for the Hungarians, I could not restrain an ardent wish to have an opera that would be the product of your unique dramatic genius. Whether it be romantic, quite serious, heroic, comic or sentimental, in short, whatever you like, I will gladly accept it. I must admit that I should like best of all some grand subject taken from history and especially from the dark ages, for instance, from the time of Attila or the like. However, I shall gratefully accept the text, whatever the subject may be, provided that it comes from you and that it is the creation of your poetical mind, which I can translate into my musical mind.” (Anderson, Beethoven Letters No. 344)
Nothing came of this request.
By 29 February 1812, Beethoven had completed nine more settings of folksongs sent to him by George Thomson, and he mailed them off.
Eight of them were later published in WoO 152, “Twenty-Five Irish Songs.,” and six are available in performances on YouTube.
#Beethoven250 Day 252
Setting of “Thou Emblem of Faith” CFS III/2 (WoO 152, No. 11), 1811–12
This rather difficult text by Irish politician and orator John Philpott Curran tells of lost love, perhaps?
#Beethoven250 Day 252
Setting of “Musing on the Roaring Ocean” CFS III/3 (WoO 152, No. 13), 1811–12
Starting at 18:10 in this video, Robert Burns tells of an ocean “which divides my love and me.”
#Beethoven250 Day 252
Setting of “Oh Harp of Erin” CFS III/4 (WoO 152, No. 25), 1811–12
The first of two settings of this text by George Thomson’s brother David, a lament to a dead harper.
#Beethoven250 Day 252
Setting of “Morning a Cruel Turmoiler is” CFS III/6 (WoO 152, No. 21), 1811–12
This text by Alexander Boswell complains about the morning but not the rest of the day, for “Kegs of the whiskey we’ll tilt.”
#Beethoven250 Day 252
Setting of “From Garyone, my Happy Home” CFS III/7 (WoO 152, No. 22), 1811–12
A woman laments that she left her happy home in Garyone because Harry “told me I was all his joy,” but now she’s married and miserable.
#Beethoven250 Day 252
Setting of “Wife, Children and Friends” CFS III/9 (WoO 152, No. 19), 1811–12
One of Beethoven’s most popular folksong settings, this song tells “how earth becomes heaven with wife, children and friends.”