Orchestra Soli SSATB, Coro SATB, Pfte, 2 Fl, 2 Ob, 2 Clt, 2 Fg, 2 Cor, 2 Tr, Tim...(+)
Orchestra Soli SSATB,
Coro SATB, Pfte, 2 Fl, 2
Ob, 2 Clt, 2 Fg, 2 Cor, 2
Tr, Timp, 2 Vl, Va, Vc/Cb
SKU: CA.1039400
Choral Fantasy.
Composed by Ludwig van
Beethoven. Edited by
Ulrich Leisinger.
Arranged by Xaver
Scharwenka, Claus-Dieter
Ludwig. Secular choral
music. Full Score.
Composed 1808/1809. Op.
80. Duration 20 minutes.
Carus Verlag #CV
10.394/00. Published by
Carus Verlag
(CA.1039400).
ISBN
M-007-18767-5. Key: C
minor. German/English.
Text: Christoph
Kuffner.
In a
mixture of cantata and
concert piece, Beethoven
set a hymn to art in his
Choral Fantasy. The work,
about 20 minutes in
length, is often seen as
a precursor to the Ode to
Joy in the 9th Symphony.
After a piano
introduction, a dialog
between piano and
orchestra develops in the
space of just 400
measures, before the
soloists and chorus enter
for the last 200
measures. (If necessary,
the solo parts can be
sung by members of the
chorus or a semi-chorus.)
In the main section,
headed Finale (beginning
with the double basses
and celli), the theme
from Beethoven's early
song Gegenliebe (WoO 118,
also used in the Ode to
Joy) is presented, varied
and finally used in the
March in F major. The
main source of the Choral
Fantasia for the edition
is the first edition of
the parts, published in
1811 and corrected by
Beethoven; alongside this
an English edition of the
parts published by
Clementi (1810) has been
consulted for comparison.
The edition contains an
English singing version
in a translation by
Natalia Macfarren from
the 19th century.
