music at Beethoven's funeral?

[Preston]

All this WoO talk has pointed me in the direction of WoO 30 - 3 Equali for 4 Trombones.

Wikipedia says this was the music played at Beethoven's funeral - though in a arrangement for voice - soloists. Any information on that or why this piece? Surely Beethoven's intentions?

Were there any other pieces played at Beethoven's funeral?

I usually find myself listening to the 1st mov., of WoO 30, the most. There is something very deep, serious, strong, etc. - and very sad in it. Yet, it is this sadness which I find most beautiful - so perhaps in truth - it is beautiful in a uncommon sense. I imagine often that music which usually sounds so sad - in a gentler sense - only sounds sad to me - and is actually more of a realistic peace.

[Roehre]

All this WoO talk has pointed me in the direction of WoO 30 - 3 Equali for 4 Trombones.

Wikipedia says this was the music played at Beethoven's funeral - though in a arrangement for voice - soloists. Any information on that or why this piece? Surely Beethoven's intentions?
Were there any other pieces played at Beethoven's funeral?

Music performed during the whole of the funeral:
-Bernhard Anselm Weber: Wilhelm Tell :Choral der Bermherzigen Brüder (Chorale of the Brethern of Charity)
-Beethoven Equales WoO 30 arranged for mens' choir, with texts by von Seyfried:
nos.1 and 2 Miserere mei
no.3 Amplitus lava me ab iniquitate mea
-Beethoven Funeral march from op.26, arranged for 4 trombones and mens' choir (text von Seyfried)
-Gregorian hymn Libera me
-von Seyfried: Libera me (incorporating quotes from Mozart's Requiem)

Beethoven did not make -as far as we know- any arrangements regarding his funeral. Seyfried is known to have arranged the music between B's death and the actual funeral, and it is rumoured that the music wasn't even rehearsed.

further information:
Loesch und Raab, Das Beethoven Lexikon, Laaber, 2007, pp.104-105 (Begräbnis)
Ladenburger und Bettermann, Drei Begräbnisse und ein Todesfall - Beethovens Ende und die Erinnerungskultur seiner Zeit, Beethovenhaus Bonn, 2002

[Hofrat]

The 3 equali were written by Beethoven at the request of Franz Xaver Gloeggl who was the Kapellmeister of rhe Linz cathedral in 1812. Somewhere between 1812-1825, the equali were passed on to Tobias Haslinger. Haslinger set words to the equali upon Beethoven's death and they were sung as well as played during the funeral.

[Preston]

Music performed during the whole of the funeral:
-Bernhard Anselm Weber: Wilhelm Tell :Choral der Bermherzigen Brüder (Chorale of the Brethern of Charity)
-Beethoven Equales WoO 30 arranged for mens' choir, with texts by von Seyfried:
nos.1 and 2 Miserere mei
no.3 Amplitus lava me ab iniquitate mea
-Beethoven Funeral march from op.26, arranged for 4 trombones and mens' choir (text von Seyfried)
-Gregorian hymn Libera me
-von Seyfried: Libera me (incorporating quotes from Mozart's Requiem)

Beethoven did not make -as far as we know- any arrangements regarding his funeral. Seyfried is known to have arranged the music between B's death and the actual funeral, and it is rumoured that the music wasn't even rehearsed.

further information:
Loesch und Raab, Das Beethoven Lexikon, Laaber, 2007, pp.104-105 (Begräbnis)
Ladenburger und Bettermann, Drei Begräbnisse und ein Todesfall - Beethovens Ende und die Erinnerungskultur seiner Zeit, Beethovenhaus Bonn, 2002

Really good information Roehre, and well laid out.

Do you know the quotes that were taken from Mozart's Requiem?

That is one heck of a rumor... I do not know how it could not have been rehearsed with the sung music?

[Preston]

The 3 equali were written by Beethoven at the request of Franz Xaver Gloeggl who was the Kapellmeister of rhe Linz cathedral in 1812. Somewhere between 1812-1825, the equali were passed on to Tobias Haslinger. Haslinger set words to the equali upon Beethoven's death and they were sung as well as played during the funeral.

Good information Hofrat - when the equali were written and why. You mentioned in another thread the equali were a musical phenomenon of Linz - how is that possible, or where did they come from and how? Any info? Still don't know exactly what they are - will have to read that on Wikipedia again to try to get a better understanding.

Also speaking of Tobias, I remember reading that Beethoven once had a musical dream (not meaning to sound that he only had 1, ), which I think he described as beautiful maybe even sacred - can't remember. If I remember he was riding in carriage and fell asleep and had the dream. Anyway, he wrote down the music and put text to it regarding Tobias. Something about, "OH Tobias"... don't remember the rest.

[Roehre]

Do you know the quotes that were taken from Mozart's Requiem?

That is one heck of a rumor... I do not know how it could not have been rehearsed with the sung music?

Preston, I haven't got a clue, as I don't know any of Seyfried's works apart from his edition of Beethoven's study compositions with Haydn (p.1830)

[Hofrat]

Good information Hofrat - when the equali were written and why. You mentioned in another thread the equali were a musical phenomenon of Linz - how is that possible, or where did they come from and how? Any info? Still don't know exactly what they are - will have to read that on Wikipedia again to try to get a better understanding.

Also speaking of Tobias, I remember reading that Beethoven once had a musical dream (not meaning to sound that he only had 1, ), which I think he described as beautiful maybe even sacred - can't remember. If I remember he was riding in carriage and fell asleep and had the dream. Anyway, he wrote down the music and put text to it regarding Tobias. Something about, "OH Tobias"... don't remember the rest.

The equali were performed in Linz at funerals and on "All Saints days."

Vienna and Salzberg were two striving music centers in Beethoven's day though they were not far away from each other geographically. Linz was another such center, albeit a small one, and it had its own music traditions such a the equale.

[Preston]

The equali were performed in Linz at funerals and on "All Saints days."

Vienna and Salzberg were two striving music centers in Beethoven's day though they were not far away from each other geographically. Linz was another such center, albeit a small one, and it had its own music traditions such a the equale.

Thanks Hofrat. I am guessing the question which is - who? what? when? where? how? - regarding the equale, which is specific, cannot be answered. I think interesting points in starting with the question about equali:

The theological meaning of the trombone as a symbol of divine presence, the voice of the angels and instrument of judgment is thereby underscored.

So the trombone is a representation (which is what I believe about the true use of the orchestra - representation, basis, foundation, etc.) of divine presence. What I wonder is what does this mean, "the voice of the angels and instrument of judgment is thereby underscored"? I am guessing it has to do with the form - musical idiom - which I do not know what it is, . Though, wikipedia says it has to do with "idiomatic and non-idiomatic". We can assume that it also has a lot to do with fairness and equality.

I guess it is really a lot to question - and I don't know if the 5 W's will ever be answered regarding equali (am I spelling that correctly?)? Such as, when, how far back did equality in musicality go, and how far back did the meaning behind equali go in the musical sense?