Elegischer Gesang

"Elegischer Gesang" ("Elegiac Song"), Op. 118, is a short work by Ludwig van Beethoven scored for string quartet and four mixed voices.[1] The text is taken from the poem Bey der Kunde von Jacobi's Tod by Johann Christoph Friedrich Haug (1761-1829), written in honor of the death of philosopher and poet Johann Georg Jacobi (1740-1814). Although the work was not published until 1826, it dates from 1814[2] and is dedicated to his friend and patron Baron Johann Baptist von Pasqualati of Osterberg, whose wife Eleonore had died three years earlier at the age of 24 years. It is one of Beethoven's least known works and is not often performed or recorded.

Text

The text has been variously identified as being anonymous or has been attributed to Ignaz Franz Castelli (1781–1862). However, an examination of the poem Bey der Kunde von Jacobi's Tod by Johann Christoph Friedrich Haug (1761-1829), written in honor of the death of philosopher and poet Johann Georg Jacobi (1740-1814) reveals Haug to be the author.[3] It is a compilation of the first line of stanza three, and half of line three and line four of stanza four.

German

Sanft, wie du lebtest, hast du vollendet, zu heilig für den Schmerz! Kein Auge wein' ob des himmlischen Geistes Heimkehr.

English (direct)

Gentle as you lived, have you completed too sacred for the pain! No eye weep for the Heavenly Spirit's homecoming.

English (lyrical)

As gentle as you have lived, have you died, too holy for sorrow! Let no eye shed a tear for the spirit's heavenly homecoming.

—OR—Life gently touched thee, And passed as softly. Thou spirit, too holy to know pain! No eye could weep for this heavenly spirit, when homeward turning Ah, life gently touched thee, and passed as softly. Yes, and passed as softly.

References
  1. Byrne, Lorraine (2004). Goethe: musical poet, musical catalyst: proceedings of the Conference hosted by the Department of Music, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, 26 & 27 March 2004. Peter Lang. p. 284. ISBN 978-1-904505-10-5.
  2. "Detroit Symphony Orchestra, program notes May 29, 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  3. See Bey der Kunde von Jacobi's Tod in the LiederNet Archive.
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