Meeres Stille und Glückliche Fahrt Arrangement for chamber orchestra (arr. U. Stäuble) by Ludwig van Beethoven 4-Part - Sheet Music

SKU: CA.1039550

ISBN 9790007359843. 9 x 12 inches. German.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Meeres Stille und Glückliche Fahrt” (Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage), Op. 112, is for four-part choir and symphony orchestra. This setting of a pair of poems by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe can most easily be described as a choral ode. First performed in 1815, it continues to impress today with its evocative power. Although Beethoven himself never left dry land, he successfully creates an impressive portrayal of seafaring: the oppressive calm – synonymous in the age of sailing with immobility and dwindling food supplies – is conjured up by low-register choral passages with washes of pianissimo strings. At the words “ungeheuren Weite” (“immense vastness”), the listener is surprised by a sudden forte crescendo spanning more than five octaves. This contrasts with the “Glückliche Fahrt” (“prosperous voyage”) with its restless compound meters and flowing diatonic scales to express confidence and happy excitement. This arrangement for chamber orchestra allows smaller choirs and those with limited space or financial resources to set sail. The piano score and choral score from the original edition (Carus 10.395/00) can be used. For a balanced orchestral sound, it is recommended that the string parts be performed not by solo instruments but as 4 (3) / 4 (3) / 2 / 2 / 1. Original version: Coro SATB, 2 Fl, 2 Ob, 2 Clt, 2 Fg, 4 Cor, 2 Tr, Timp, 2 Vl, Va, Vc, Cb, arrangement for chamber orchestra: Coro SATB, Fl, Ob, Clt, Fg, Cor, Tr, Timp, 2 Vl, Va, Vc, Cb.