In late 1812 and early 1813, Beethoven composed even more folksong settings. Along with the nine songs that constitute Group IV in Barry Cooper’s catalogue, Beethoven also completed the 22 settings that constitute Group V.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “Thy Ship must sail, my Henry Dear” CFS V/2 (WoO 153, No. 20), 1812–13
A woman prepares to see her lover off for a year’s absence, but a “song beneath those willow trees” will keep him present in her mind.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “O might I but my Patrick love” CFS V/3 (WoO 153, No. 16), 1812–13
Mother disapproves but “It only makes me love him more … I wish he could as soon persuade the mother as the daughter.” Text by Wm Smyth.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “The Kiss, Dear Maid, thy Lip has left” CFS V/5 (WoO 153, No. 9), 1812–13
Starting at 13:25 in this video, Lord Byron tells of a last parting kiss that must be treasured until the lovers can be together.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “The Kiss, Dear Maid, thy Lip has left” CFS V/5 (WoO 153, No. 9), 1812–13
This socially distanced birthday gift has a long introduction, but a wonderful rendition of the song with subtitles begins at 2:07.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “He promis’d me at Parting” CFS V/7 (WoO 154, No. 12), 1812–13
This is a delightful performance, but it skips the middle verse of this song with text by William Smyth.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “He promis’d me at Parting” CFS V/7 (WoO 154, No. 12), 1812–13
He promised to be back in spring, but he went to the big city to buy gifts for her! Clearly that’s unnecessary: “Return to those that love thee.”
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “The Soldier in a Foreign Land” CFS V/8 (WoO 154, No. 11), 1812–13
A soldier is far away from home, yearning for “the sound of my own native village once more” and imagining “the shores of dear Ireland.”
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “The Elfin Fairies” CFS V/10 (WoO 154, No. 1), 1812–13
In his graduation recital, baritone Yannai A. Gonczarowski assumes the persona of one of our little garden friends.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “The Farewell Song” CFS V/11 (WoO 154, No. 3), 1812–13
Starting at 2:35 in this video, this text by William Smyth mentions the “planxty,” which is slow triple-meter music written for the harp.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “The Pulse of an Irishman” CFS V/12 (WoO 154, No. 4), 1812–13
You might encounter an ad in this video, but it’s Ian Bostridge in a recording session for a new CD that with 8 folksong settings.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “Oh! who, my Dear Dermot” CFS V/14 (WoO 154, No. 5), 1812–13
In this obtuse text by William Smyth, Dermot has either deceived his lover or betrayed Ireland, or perhaps both.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “O soothe me, my Lyre” CFS V/15 (WoO 153, No. 7), 1812–13
“I had youth, I had beauty,” an aging woman sings, but what she regrets most of all is “to be lov’d — then untimely to die.” Text by William Smyth.
#Beethoven250 Day 259
Setting of “When Mortals all to Rest retire” CFS V/21 (WoO 155, No. 15), 1813
“Love! thou fiend of pain! I feel the tears of anguish start — How hard my peace to gain!” Text by William Smyth.