Beethoven is widely regarded as a master of musical construction, sometimes sketching the architecture of a movement before he had decided upon the subject matter. He was one of the first composers to systematically and consistently use interlocking thematic devices, or 'germ-motives', to achieve unity between movements in long compositions. (Some insight into the meaning of the germ-motive device is given at the end of this bio.) Equally remarkable was his use of source-motives', which recurred in many different compositions and lent some unity to his life’s work. He made innovations in almost every form of music he touched. For example, he diversified even the well-crystallised form of the rondo, making it more elastic and spacious, which brought it closer to sonata form. He was mostly inspired by the natural course of nature, and liked to write songs describing nature.
Beethoven composed in a great variety of genres, including symphonies, concerti, piano sonatas, other instrumental sonatas (including for violin), string quartets and other chamber music, masses, lieder, and one opera.
Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods:
In the Early (Classical) period, he is seen as emulating his great predecessors Haydn and Mozart, while concurrently exploring new directions and gradually expanding the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the first six string quartets, the first three piano concertos, and the first twenty piano sonatas, including the famous "Pathétique" and "Moonlight" sonatas.
The Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis centering around his encroaching deafness. The period is noted for large-scale works expressing heroism and struggle; these include many of the most famous works of classical music. Middle period works include six symphonies (numbers 3 to 8), the fourth and fifth piano concertos, the triple concerto and violin concerto, five string quartets (numbers 7 to 11), the next seven piano sonatas (including the "Waldstein" and the "Appassionata"), and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio.
Beethoven's Late (Romantic) period began around 1816. The Late-period works are characterised by intellectual depth, intense and highly personal expression, and formal innovation (for example, the Op. 131 string quartet has seven linked movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement). Works of this period also include the Missa Solemnis, the last five string quartets, and the last five piano sonatas.
Deconstructing the sonata form, both in the overall schema (movements, tempos) and in the micro-form, Beethoven began to use germinal ideas propelling the whole melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic progression. In the first quartet of the group (E flat major, Op.127 – February 1825), the Adagio has five variations (in this case, a source-theme becomes the backbone of the tempo). That same year, in July, Quartet in A minor, Op.132, features a first movement with the traditional two themes, but without contrast; they display and disseminate sub-sections and ‘germs’ in a circular frame, interlocking with each other. Beethoven's germ-motive is like a Bach choral, summoning the other voices around itself.
The last quartet, Op. 135 in F major, was composed in a downplayed form, going back to a more traditional four-tempo structure. But internally one finds the same frozen micro-structure: the first movement is harmonically ambiguous, whereas the scherzo sounds like Bartók, and in the finale, the canon ‘Es muss sein’ plays a joyful role. A terrible grave comes in afterward, to dissolve into a soft pizzicato: adieu music, adieu life . It was never heard by the now deaf Beethoven, and he died shortly afterward.
Ah! perfido! Op. 65
Ludwig van Beethoven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Barbaro traditor, tu parti?
E son questi gl'ultimi tuoi congedi?
Ove s'intese tirannia più crudel?
Va, scellerato! va, pur fuggi da me,
L'ira de' numi non fuggirai.
Se v'è giustizia in ciel, se v'è pietà,
Congiureranno a gara tutti a punirti!
Vedrò le mie vendette,
Io già le godo immaginando.
I fulmini ti veggo già balenar d'intorno.
Ah no! Fermate, vindici Dei!
Risparmiate quel cor, ferite il mio!
S'ei non è più qual era, son io qual fui,
Per lui vivea, voglio morir per lui!
Per pietà, non dirmi addio!
Di te priva che farò?
Tu lo sai, bell'idol mio!
Io d'affanno morirò.
Ah crudel! Tu vuoi ch'io mora!
Tu non hai pietà di me?
Perchè rendi a chi t'adora
Così barbara mercè?
Dite voi se in tanto affanno
Non son degna di pietà?
The lyrics of Beethoven's "Ah! perfido!" express a deep sense of betrayal and heartbreak. The singer addresses the person who has betrayed them as a "perfidious, swearing, barbarous traitor" who is now leaving. The singer questions if these are truly the final farewells, and wonders where they have experienced a more cruel tyranny. The betrayal and departure of the traitor evoke feelings of anger and a desire for justice and punishment. The singer warns the traitor that even if they try to escape the wrath of the gods, justice and mercy will conspire to punish them.
The singer's anger intensifies as they call the traitor a wretched scoundrel and urge them to flee, knowing that the anger of the gods will not be escaped. The singer imagines and anticipates the revenge they will seek, finding satisfaction in the thought of witnessing the traitor being struck down by divine retribution. The imagery of lightning flashing around the traitor conveys a sense of impending punishment and retribution. The singer pleads with the avenging gods to spare the traitor's heart and strike them down instead, as they were the ones who lived for the traitor and are willing to die for them.
As the song progresses, the tone shifts to one of pleading and desperation. The singer begs the traitor not to say goodbye, expressing fear and uncertainty about what they will do without them. The singer acknowledges the cruel intentions of the traitor and questions why they show no mercy to the one who adores them. The singer asks if, in their great suffering and torment, they are not deserving of pity and compassion, highlighting the depth of their emotional turmoil and despair. The plea for mercy and the feeling of being forsaken by the one they loved intensify the emotional impact of the betrayal and departure.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ludwig van Beethoven
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alfredo Loyola
who is she?i do not know her
she has good voice!!a drama
tic or spinto at least,but most
sopranos today,sound very
deficient in the low middle
or the lower section of the
voice,i could not here the
important low note. it
seems most of them are
afraid of the low register
or dont have sufficient
shooling in that part of
the voice. the middle range
and the low register are as
important as the high notes
because is the foundation
of the voice,and if you call
yourself a dramatic or an
spinto soprano,you must
need to have the proper
projection in that part of
the voice particular for
verdi or wagner repertoi
re.
Enturbanon
Ana Maria Labin is marvelous! Best performance of Ah Perfido since Callas.
Christophe Baudeau
Very good rendition, I love the Boston Baroque,thank you for posting this aria...
kedem berger
A very very good live perofmance. Lots of fire and musicianship. Sounds a bit precarious for her voice, even though its a period band. Margiono is probably the best.
Chiara Skerath
Magnifique !
greve
Mon arie de concert préférée. L'éxécution très bonne - a part de trop de vibrato en commencement et quelques instants de ne pas chanter. Cette arie doit quand même être vecu et c'est exactement ca ici. Merci.
Alina Yarovaya
Brava!! Bravi tutti!!!! 💐💐💐
Orfeus80
Too light for this piece, she clearly struggles with the low register but otherwise a beautiful voice.
Heejung Park
beautiful!
G.J. Vrijmoeth
Great!
John Walker Ramos
She killed this piece! Holy batman