Como la Mariposa, Alternate coda to WoO 158a Nr. 20, Hess 207 (mp3)

Como la Mariposa, first version of Coda to WoO 158a Nr. 20, Hess 207 (1816).

This Spanish folk song was one of the continental songs which Beethoven collected and sent to George Thomson. When Thomson was unable to obtain suitable English texts, the project was abandoned. This early version is found in the manuscript SBH 591 at the Beethoven-Archiv in Bonn. It includes a slightly different coda for piano; string parts are not indicated in the last few measures but we have added in the corresponding string voices from the final version since both the violin and cello would surely not have dropped out of the coda. This version echoes the first two measures of the vocal line much more closely than the final version of the song.

Como la Mariposa

Como la Mariposa soy que,
por verte,
soy que, por verte,
soy que, por verte,
soy que, por verte,
soy que, por verte!

en la luz de tus ojos busco mi muerte.


Like the Butterfly

Like the Butterfly I am, upon seeing you;
in the light of your eyes, I find my death.

WoO: 158
Hess: 207

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