WoO 109: Erhebt das Glas mit froher Hand (Trinklied, beim Abschied)

Время создания: 1791 или 1792 год.

Peter Schreier, тенор
Walter Olbertz, фортепиано

The unusual scoring of this song for voice, piano, and unison chorus was shared by another written around the same time, Punschlied, WoO. 111. Obviously both are early songs, certainly among the first half-dozen surviving ones in Beethoven's oeuvre. Some of his earliest efforts in the genre, such as Schilderung Eines Mädchens, for voice and piano, WoO 107 (1783), and An einen Säugling, WoO 108 (probably 1784), were interesting but hardly accomplished creations. "Trinklied," however, shows greater skill, Beethoven having gained large-scale experience in the vocal/choral realm in 1790 with the cantatas Auf den Tod Kaiser Josephs II, WoO 87, and Auf die Erhebung Leopold des Zweiten zur Kaiserwürde, WoO 88.

"Trinklied" is a rousing drinking song, written on texts by an unknown author. Marked Allegretto and written in the key of C, it was intended for a farewell scene among a group of friends. There are five stanzas to this song, and if its harmonies and piano writing largely derivative of Beethoven's predecessors, at least its cheerful character has appeal. While it gives little indication of the vocal writing skills of the composer of Fidelio and the late Missa Solemnis, it nevertheless offers a view of the evolving talents of the young Beethoven.

This song was not published in Beethoven's lifetime, most likely indicating the composer's intention to suppress it.

(Robert Cummings, Rovi)