An die Geliebte, early version of WoO 140, Gardi 28 (mp3)

First version of An die Geliebte in C, WoO 140, for Voice and Pianoforte or Guitar, Gardi 28 (December, 1811)

This song was written for Beethoven's friend Antonie Brentano, who was among other things, a guitarist. This song is the only piece known to have been written by Beethoven for guitar. There were two other settings, one very similar to this, in D, and another that is quite different indeed. All are lumped together in the catalog under WoO 140. The fact that the poem set is entitled "To the Beloved" and is an intimate love poem is taken as evidence by some that Brentano was the "Immortal Beloved," but this implication is inconclusive at best.

This first version was not published until 1826, well after publication of the revised third version. The setting is labeled as "for piano or guitar." The piano score can be moved to guitar if one disregards some doubled low C's and a single low D, since a low E is the lowest available note without retuning the guitar. The final two chords also must be abbreviated since eight notes are called for in the score of the penultimate note and seven in the last note, since there are only six strings on a guitar. However, with these minor adjustments, the piece is playable on guitar, though quite difficult. For the adventurous, we provide a suggested tablature of the accompaniment. A simplified version (practically playable on sight) could also be derived from the score if one does some minor transposition by octaves and more or less disregards the bass line.

The lyrics of the song, written by Joseph Ludwig Stoll, are as follows:

An die Geliebte

Oh, dass ich von dem stillen Auge,
in seinem liebevollen Schein,
die Traene von der Wange sauge,
eh' sie die Erde trinket ein.

Wohl haelt sie zoegernd auf der Wange
und will sich heis der Treue weihn;
non ich sie so in Lust empfange,
non sind auch deine Schmerzen mein,

nun, nun sind auch deine Schmerzen mein,
ja, nun sind auch deine Schmerzen mein!  mein!  mein!


To the Beloved

Your silent eye has shed a tear
that glistens lovingly,
oh, may I drink it from your cheek
before the earth imbibes it.

It lingers, hesitating, upon your cheek,
ardently longing to devote itself to constancy.
Now that I have received it in a kiss,
your anguish has become mine.

translation by William Mann copyright 1985

AN DIE GELIEBTE in C, WoO 140 (TAB)

												   Bar 8------->

E  -0---3-------0---3-----|--1---5-------1---5-----|------------
B ----1-----------1-------|----1-----------1-------|--9-----9---
G 0-----------0-----------|2-----------2-----------|----10----10
D ------------------------|------------------------|9-----9-----
A 3-----3-----3-----3-----|3-----3-----3-----3-----|------------
E ------------------------|------------------------|8-----8-----
 pp:
  
  Bar 8-------------------------------------------  Bar 5-------

E ------------|--------------8---------|------------------------|
B --9-----9---|--8-----8-------10--128-|--10----8---6-----5-----|
G ----10----10|----9-----9-------------|----10----9-7-----5-----|
D 9-----9-----|10----10----10----10----|10----10----5-----------|
A ------------|------------------------|------------------------|
E 8-----8-----|8-----------------------|------------7-----8-----|

  Bar 3------Bar 7-------			 Bar 3-------

E --3-----3---------------|--3-----3-----3-----3---|------3-----
B ----3-----3---8-----8---|----6-----6-----5-----5-|------3-----
G 4-----4---------9-----9-|4-----4-----5-----5-----|------------
D 3-----------10----10----|0-----------------------|------------
A ------------7-----------|------------3-----------|2-----------
E ------------------------|------------------------|------------

  Bar 7-------------------- Bar 8-------

E ------5-----|------5-----------7-----|------10----------8-----|
B ------3-----|------3-----------8-----|------8-----------10----|
G ------5-----|------5-----------7-----|------------------------|
D 4-----------|4-----------------9-----|------------------10----|
A ------------|------------10----------|------------------------|
E ------------|------------------------|7-----------8-----------|

  Bar 10------ Bar 9 Bar 7--------------			 Bar 3------>

E --------------109-107---|------10--8-------------|--3-----3---
B 12----10--------------8-|7-------10------12----10|----3-----3-
G 12----11----12----------|--8-9---------12----11--|4-----4-----
D 12----10----9-----------|------------0-----0-----|------------
A ------------10----------|------------------------|------------
E 10----10----------7-----|8-----------------------|3-----3-----

  Bar 3--------------------------------------------------------->

E --5-----5---|--5-----5-----5-----5---|--5-----5-----3-----3---|
B ----5-----5-|----5-----5-----6-----6-|----6-----6-----3-----3-|
G 6-----6-----|6-----6-----3-----3-----|3-----3-----4-----4-----|
D ------------|------------------------|------------------------|
A ------------|------------------------|------------------------|
E 3-----3-----|3-----3-----3-----3-----|3-----3-----3-----3-----|
 cre--		--scen--				  --do

  Bar 3------------------ Bar 8---------------------------------

E --3-----3-----3-----3---|--------------8---------|------------
B ----3-----3-----5-------|--8-----8-------10--128-|--10----8---
G 4-----4-----5-----5---5-|----9-----9-------------|----10----9-
D ------------------------|10----10----10----10----|10----10----
A ------------------------|------------------------|------------
E 3-----3-----3-----3-----|8-----------------------|------------

  Bar 5------ Bar 3-----   Bar 7-------			Bar 3-------

E ------------|--3-----3---------------|--3-----3-----3-----3---|
B 6-----5-----|----3-----3---8-----8---|----6-----6-----5-----5-|
G 7-----5-----|4-----4---------9-----9-|4-----4-----5-----5-----|
D 5-----------|3-----------10----10----|0-----------------------|
A ------------|------------7-----------|------------3-----------|
E 7-----8-----|------------------------|------------------------|

  Bar 8-------------------------------------------------------->

E --10----10----8-----8---|--------------8-----8---|--10----10--
B 8-----8-----8-----8-----|--12----12--8-----8-----|8-----8-----
G ------------------------|12----12--------9-----9-|------------
D ----12----12----10----10|----8-----8-------------|----12----12
A 8-----------------------|------------------------|8-----------
E ------------12----------|10----------8-----------|------------
  
  Bar 8-------------------------------- Bar 7	   Bar 8

E --8-----8---|--------------8-----8---|7-----------8-----------|
B 8-----8-----|--12----12--8-----8-----|8-----------8-----------|
G ------------|12----12--------9-----9-|7-----------9-----------|
D ----10----10|----8-----8-------------|9-----------10----------|
A ------------|------------------------|8-----------10----------|
E 12----------|10----------8-----------|7-----------8-----------|
										f:		  p:

Guitar arrangement copyright 2002 Mark S. Zimmer

Gardi: 28
WoO: 140

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