Beethoven’s Irish Songs Revisited

This edition of Beethoven’s Irish Songs Revisited showcases all of Beethoven's Irish folksong settings, featuring carefully selected texts that enhance the music's beauty.

This edition brings together all of Beethoven’s Irish folksong settings for the first time, offering a comprehensive look at his prolific output in this genre. The late Tomás Ó Súilleabháin, a renowned baritone, broadcaster, and musicologist, meticulously selected texts that he believed complemented the airs and Beethoven’s compositions. His choices primarily feature works by the esteemed poets Robert Burns and Thomas Moore, aiming to enhance the overall experience of the music.

Beethoven’s seventy-two settings of traditional Irish airs were commissioned in the early 19th century by Scottish editor and publisher George Thomson. While Thomson provided the melodies, he did not supply the accompanying texts, leading to less favorable poetry being attached to the arrangements upon publication. This may explain why these beautiful songs have not received the recognition they truly deserve, as many of the original poems were deemed inferior.

In Beethoven’s Irish Songs Revisited, readers can explore a carefully curated selection of texts that resonate more harmoniously with Beethoven’s music. This edition not only highlights the significance of these settings but also sheds light on the cultural interplay between poetry and music during Beethoven’s time, making it a valuable resource for music enthusiasts and scholars alike.