Category:
Chamber Music
A metamorphosis in honor of Beethoven's 250th birthday. His setting of Goethe's "Only those who know longing know what I suffer" runs as a leitmotif through my own life, which may celebrate its 70th birthday parallel to Beethoven in 2020.
It is composed in memory of my mother, who died a few weeks ago, and who, quite surprisingly - when I was already working on my composition project - chose this word "longing" to describe our relationship.
Duration: 4 Minuten
Publisher of notes/sheet music:
, 2020
Instrumentation: Piano solo
Solo instruments: Klavier
Introduction: DESPAIR & LONGING.
WITH BEETHOVEN …BEYOND ALL TIME
for piano solo
A metamorphosis in honor of Beethoven's 250th birthday. The despair, mostly suppressed, is diminished by the infinite longing that can be expressed in a little melody. Beethoven's setting of Goethe's poem "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, weiß was ich leiden" (Only those who know longing know what I suffer) runs as a leitmotif through my own life, which may celebrate its 70th birthday parallel to Beethoven in 2020.
It is composed in memory of my mother, who died a few weeks ago and who, quite surprisingly - when I was already working on my composition project - chose this word "longing" to describe our relationship.
Goethe's words, which also fascinated Beethoven and which he set to music in three versions:
Only those who know longing know what I suffer! / Alone and separated from all joy, / I look into the firmament to that side beyond. /
Ah! He who loves and knows me is in the distance. / I'm dizzy, my bowels are burning / Only he who knows desire knows what I suffer!
(Song of Mignon from Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister" novel)
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Dedication: Dedicated to Susanne Kessel and her wonderful project "250 piano pieces for Beethoven"
World premiere:
09.09.2019, Bonn, Historischer Gemeindesaal
Performers at world premiere: Susanne Kessel (piano)
