DAILY DOSE of BEETHOVEN (November 9, 2020)
A myth has long prevailed that Beethoven did not know how to compose for the human voice. That myth should be given short shrift by his Concert Aria for soprano and orchestra—“Ah! perfido" (Ah! Deceiver), Op. 65–composed in 1796, but not published until 1805.
Beethoven was immersed in Italian opera as a boy in his native Bonn. He often played the continuo for visiting opera troops, and composed themes and variations for piano based on famous opera arias, such as Paisiello's "Nel Cor piu mi Sento."
The text for Beethoven’s concert Aria comes from "Achille in Sciro", by the poet Metastasio. The protagonist is Princess Deidamia of Skyros, who is angry with Achilles for leaving her "with child" while going off to fight in the Trojan War. Her vengeful wrath is softened by love several times. Here is the text:
Ah! perfido, spergiuro,
barbaro traditor, tu parti?
e son questi gl'ultimi tuoi congedi?
ove s'intese tirannia più crudel?
Va, scelerato! va, pur fuggi da me,
l'ira de' Numi non fuggirai!
Se v'è giustizia in Ciel, se v'è pietà,
congiureranno a gara tutti a punirti!
Ombra seguace! presente, ovunque vai,
vedrò le mie vendette;
io già le godo immaginando;
i fulmini ti veggo già balenar d'intorno.
Ah no! ah no! fermate, vindici Dei!
risparmiate quel cor, ferite il mio!
s'ei non è più qual era son'io qual fui,
per lui vivea, voglio morir per lui!
Per pietà, non dirmi addio,
di te priva che farò?
tu lo sai, bell'idol mio!
io d'affanno morirò.
Ah crudel! tu vuoi ch'io mora!
tu non hai pietà di me?
perchè rendi a chi t'adora
così barbara mercè?
Dite voi, se in tanto affanno
non son degna di pietà?
(Ah! Faithless one, perjured,
barbarous betrayer, do you leave?
And are these your last farewells?
Who ever suffered such cruel tyranny?
Go, wicked man! Go, run from me,
The wrath of the Gods you shall not escape!
If there is justice in Heaven, if there is mercy,
They will join together to punish you!
Pursuing shade, present wherever you go,
I shall see my vengeance;
I already enjoy it in my mind;
I see already lightning flashing about you.
Ah no, ah no, stop, Gods of vengeance!
Spare that heart, strike mine!
Though he has changed, I am what I was,
Through him I lived, I would die for him!
(For pity, do not bid me farewell,
What shall I do without you?
You know, fair beloved,
I shall die troubled.
(Ah, cruel one, you would that I die!
Have you no pity for me?
Why do you treat one who adores you
With such barbarous reward?
Tell me if in such trouble
Am I not worthy of pity?)
IN MOZART’S FOOTSTEPS
Beethoven composed “Ah! perfido” for a soprano, a friend of Mozart, whose name is Josepha Duschek, who is famous for the range and flexibility of her voice; for her musicianship, and superb execution of both bravura arias and recitatives. In places, it reminds us of another Concert Aria written for her, this one by Mozart in 1787, set to the text of "Belle mia Fiamma, addio," by Michele Sarcone.
Mozart's son tells an hilarious story of how the work was composed:
“Petranka [sic] is well-known as the villa in which Mozart enjoyed staying with his musician friends, the Duscheks, during his visit to Prague, and where he composed several numbers for his "Don Juan" [Don Giovanni]. On the summit of a hill near the villa stands a pavilion. In it, one day, Frau Duschek slyly imprisoned the great Mozart, after having provided ink, pen, and notepaper, and told him that he was not to regain his freedom until he had written an aria he had promised her to the words “bella mia fiamma addio”. Mozart submitted himself to the necessary; but to avenge himself for the trick Frau Duschek had played on him, he used various difficult-to-sing passages in the aria, and threatened his despotic friend that he would immediately destroy the aria if she could not succeed in performing it at sight without mistakes.”
Anyone but Mozart would have starved before writing this! Anybody but Duschek would have choked! Here’s a performance of Mozart’s concert Aria, which features the score:
TEXT:
Bella mia fiamma, addio!
Bella mia fiamma, addio!
Non piacque al cielo di renderci felici.
Ecco reciso, prima d'esser compito,
quel purissimo nodo, che strinsero
fra lor gl'animi nostri con il solo voler.
Vivi: Cedi al destin, cedi al dovere.
Della giurata fede la mia morte t'assolve.
A più degno consorte ... O pene!
unita vivi più lieta e più felice vita.
Ricordati di me, ma non mai turbi
d'un felice sposo la rara
rimembranza il tuo riposo.
Regina, io vado ad ubbidirti
Ah, tutto finisca il mio furor col morir mio.
Cerere, Alfeo, diletta sposa, addio!
Resta, o cara, acerba morte mi separa
Oh Dio..... da te!
Prendi cura di sua sorte,
consolarla almen procura.
Vado . . . ahi lasso!
Addio, addio per sempre.
Quest'affanno, questo passo
è terribile per me.
Ah! Dov'è il tempio, dov'è l'ara?
Vieni, affretta la vendetta!
Questa vita così amara
più soffribile non è
(Light of my life, farewell!
Light of my life, farewell!
Heaven did not intend our happiness.
Before the knot was tied,
those pure strands were severed that bound
our spirits in a single will.
Live: Yield to fate and to your duty.
My death absolves you from your promise.
O grief! United to a more worthy consort
you will have a happier, more joyous life.
Remember me, but never let stray
thoughts of an unhappy lover
disturb your rest.
(Majesty, I go in obedience to your will...
Ah, let death put an end to my raving.
Ceres, Alpheus, beloved heart, farewell!
(Stay, dear heart, cruel death tears me away
O God....from you!
(Look after her,
comfort her at last.
(I go ... alas!
Farewell, farewell for evermore.
This anguish, this step
is hard for me to bear.
Ah! Where is the temple, where is the altar?
Dear heart, farewell forever!
(A life as bitter as this
can be borne no longer!)
In 1796, Beethoven was a new composer on the scene in Vienna, and Mozart, who had only died five years earlier, cast a very long shadow. Both works progress from a long recitative, to a slow reverend song, to a spectacular allegro.
Beethoven followed the same model for the arias of Leonore and Florestan in his only opera, “Fidelio”, which premiered in 1814.