Eva
Peng, soprano
Anthony Olson, piano
Few scholars are aware of a treasure trove of wonderful chamber music transcriptions created by Ludwig van Beethoven - transcriptions of English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh folksongs. Arranged for voice and piano with optional violin and cello parts, these charming works are wonderful works for professionals and amateurs alike.
The story behind these pieces began in the late 1700s when a civil servant and folksong enthusiast named George Thomson hired Beethoven and several other composers to help him with a personal project. Thomson was unhappy with the collections of British songs sung by amateurs in Scotland and England and decided better accompaniments would help the music. Starting in 1791, he began hiring well-known, living composers to arrange British folksongs for voice, violin, cello and piano. He commissioned works from 15 different composers over a period of 45 years. Beethoven, Haydn, Carl Maria von Weber and Hummel all wrote pieces for Mr. Thomson. Thomson also hired many famous literary figures, including Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott, to rewrite the words of the songs.
This lecture/recital shares a variety of these folksongs and explores Beethoven and Thomson’s uneasy professional relationship.
This program
was the subject of an article in Clavier
Magazine:
* Anthony Olson and Eva Peng. “Beethoven’s Chamber Folksong
Transcriptions: Music from the British Isles.” Clavier 46/8 (2007): pp.
34-39.
For further
information on this and other programs call or visit us online:
Website: www.lyricduo.com
Phone: 1 (888) 838-1612 or (660) 562-1318