sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
This is pop music from the turn of the 19th century! Beethoven composed this in 1795, when he was 25 years old. He had just arrived in Vienna from the suburbian Bonn, trying to make a name for himself. It became so popular, a real hit back then, that Liszt wrote three "cover" versions of it.
The lyrics are a poem by Friedrich Matthiasson, a German poet of the time, whose writings were greatly inspiring Beethoven. The text is as follows:
Einsam wandelt dein Freund im Frühlingsgarten, Alone does your friend wonder in spring garden Mild vom lieblichen Zauberlicht umflossen, The magical, loving light surrounging him gently Das durch wankende Blütenzweige zittert, That quivers through the blooming boughs Adelaide! Adelaide! In der spiegelnden Flut, im Schnee der Alpen, In the stream, clear as a mirror, in the snow of the Alps In des sinkenden Tages Goldgewölken, In the golden clouds of the sunset Im Gefilde der Sterne strahlt dein Bildnis, In the realm of the stars shines the picture of you Adelaide! Adelaide! Abendlüfte im zarten Laube flüstern, The evening air tenderly whispers in the leaves Silberglöckchen des Mais im Grase säuseln, The silvery bellflowers of May rustling in the grass Wellen rauschen und Nachtigallen flöten: Waters rush and nightingales whistle: Adelaide! Adelaide! Einst, o Wunder! entblüht auf meinem Grabe Once, oh a miracle! is blooming on my grave Eine Blume der Asche meines Herzens; A flower from the ash of my heart Deutlich schimmert auf jedem Purpurblättchen: clearly shines in every purple petal Adelaide! Adelaide!
Beethoven continued to play this piece until his very last live performance of January 1815. He worked on the song for almost three years, a strikingly long period of time and dedicated it finally to Matthiasson himself. Beethoven sent it to him after some years it had already been published with a letter saying:
"Most esteemed friend- [...] I dedicated a work to you which came direct from my heart [...] Indeed, even now I send you "Adelaide" with a feeling of timidity. You know yourself what changes the lapse of some years brings forth in an artist who continues to make progress; the greater the advances we make in art, the less are we satisfied with our works of an earlier date. My most ardent wish will be fulfilled if you are not dissatisfied with the manner in which I have set your heavenly "Adelaide" to music [...]
When playing "Adelaide," sometimes recall Your sincere admirer,BEETHOVEN"
To which Matthiasson later replied in a collection of his poems:
"Several composers have animated this little lyrical fantasy through music; I am firmly convinced however that none of them so threw the text into the shade with their melody as did the genius Ludwig van Beethoven in Vienna."
