Ae440 c

A RTARIA E DITIONS Editorial Board CC8E 8;C<P a FKKF 9@98 a %" ", ' +F9<IK !FJB@EJ a <IK@C M8E F<I

Ferdinand rIEs

Variations for Pianoforte & Flute on a Portuguese Hymn, Op.152 No.1 Edited by Uwe Grodd AEï&#x153;´ï&#x153;´ï&#x153;° ARTARIA EDITIONS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WELLINGTON

AE FERDINAND RIES Variations for Pianoforte & Flute, Op.152 No.1 Source – Clementi, Collard & Collard edition (1828) Berlin, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz Musikabteilung mit Mendelssohn-Archiv Editor – Uwe Grodd Series Editor – Allan Badley Engraving & Layout – Mallabar Music Limited © Artaria Editions Limited  Wellington, New Zealand ISBN --- ISMN M---

AE440 – ii

(+ 0(+

A

s one of the greatest pianists in Europe of his time

Army looming, Ries returned to Bonn via Prague, Dresden

and a composer of exceptional ability, it is surprising

and Leipzig, and later travelled on to Paris having being

that the name Ferdinand Ries is not better known

turned down as unfit for military service. He languished in

today. Indeed, the neglect of most of his major works is even

Paris for two years before returning to Vienna in August 

more inexplicable given his long association with Beethoven.

where he stayed for just under a year.

In most other circumstances this would have prompted an

Ries’s career seems to have finally taken off in  and

exhaustive study of his music but in Ries’s case this has not

during the next four years he toured extensively throughout

happened. An explanation for this may lie in his publication

Europe. He was appointed a member of the Swedish Royal

of an important book of reminiscences about Beethoven that

Academy of Music in  and the following year published

has proved to be of such enduring interest that scholarship

an impressive set of variations for piano and orchestra based

has concentrated on this rather than his music. Of Ries’s own

on Swedish national airs. The next eleven years of Ries’s life

career comparatively little has been written. Over the years

were spent in London where he enjoyed a successful career as

there have been sporadic performances and recordings of

a celebrated virtuoso, teacher and composer. His father’s for-

chamber works and, more recently, of his very impressive

mer teacher, Johann Peter Salomon, who will forever be re-

symphonies and concertos.

membered as the impresario who brought Haydn to London,

Ries’s connections with Beethoven began in Bonn where

introduced Ries to the Philharmonic Concerts where he

his father Franz, a professional violinist and pianist, taught

appeared for the first time on  March . Ries’s success

Beethoven. Ries, too, studied with his father and also received

in London was by no means assured as he was only one of

cello lessons from Bernhard Romberg for whom Beethoven

several great virtuosi based there. Nonetheless, his playing

later wrote his Op. Cello Sonatas. When the electoral court

was clearly of a very high order and impressed not only the

was dissolved in  Ries found himself without the prospect

public but also his fellow professionals. Camille Pleyel, son of

of a secure position and for the next seven years remained at

the composer and publisher Ignaz Pleyel and himself an out-

home studying with his father. In  he moved to Munich

standlingly gifted musician, wrote in a letter to his parents

where he eked out a fairly precarious existence as a copyist

concerning his recent experiences in London:

while taking lessons with Peter von Winter. In October he

Yesterday [ April ] I heard Ries at the same

left for Vienna where Beethoven, now well-established as a

Philharmonic. He played a new quintet of his own composition.

pianist and composer, agreed to take him on as a pupil.

In the first part there are some delightful things. I like Ries’s

During Ries’s three years of study with Beethoven he

playing very much. It is mellow and yet often energetic. Ries

acted frequently as his secretary and copyist which, of course,

played on an excellent Broadwood instrument and although

leant great credibility to his later reminiscences. Beethoven

the hall is quite large, I could hear every note of the piano.

did not teach Ries composition – for that he went to

Pleyel modified his opinion slightly in a letter written the

Albrechtsberger, Kapellmeister at St Stephen’s Cathedral – but

following month observing that ‘as a pianist he [Ries] plays

his influence on Ries’s development as a composer nonethe-

very difficult things but he lacks the clarity of Kalkbrenner

less was profound. Beethoven also smoothed his introduc-

and the style of Cramer.’

tion into Viennese musical circles by securing for him a posi-

During the next ten years Ries featured in the

tion as pianist to Count Browne in Baden, one of Beethoven’s

Philharmonic Concerts on a regular basis and gave premieres

own patrons, and in organizing his début (as Beethoven’s pu-

of a number of major works including concertos and works

pil) on  August , at which he gave a performance of the

for piano and orchestra. One of these works has a very strong

C minor Piano Concerto, Op. with cadenzas of his own

English association: the Grand Variations on the National Air

composition. With the risk of conscription into the French

of ‘Rule Britannia’, Op., composed at Hastings in .

AE440 – iii

In  Ries decided to retire and return to his native

ad libitum that includes several sonatas, a rondo on Le Garçon

Rhineland. As farewell gesture he performed a brilliant

Volage, Op. No., and a set of fantasias on themes from

new concerto, composed the previous year, which was pub-

Rossini’s Armida, Op..

lished in  as Op. with the title Abschieds-Concert von

Beginning with the two Piano Sonatas, Op.1, which were

England. Ries, who had married Harriet Mangean in ,

dedicated to Beethoven, Ries frequently paid tribute to musi-

‘an English lady of great merit and possessing many per-

cians he liked and admired, among them Haydn, Clementi and

sonal charms’, was a popular figure in the London musical

Moscheles. It is disappointing then that none of his works for

scene and in a ‘Memoir of Ferdinand Ries’ printed in the

flute was dedicated to a famous flautist and doubly so in the

Harmonicon around the time of his departure, it was ob-

absence of any clues in his letters as to whom he had in mind

served that:

when composing them. Nonetheless, it is possible to speculate

Mr Ries is justly celebrated as one of the finest piano-

in the instances when we have an idea of where and when the

performers of the present day. His hand is powerful, and

works were written. Ries composed the Trio, Op., in Bath

his execution is certain, – often surprising. But his playing

in  where he was visiting at the invitation of Andrew Ashe

is most distinguished from that of all others by its romantic

(-), who, during the years -, was Director of

wildness …. He produces an effect upon those who enter his

Concerts there. As is so often the case in Ries’s life, his associa-

style, which can only be compared to that arising from the

tion with Ashe can be traced to his early years in Bonn. Ashe

most unexpected combinations and transitions of the Aeolian

was a friend of Johann Peter Salomon, who earlier in his career

harp.

had taught Ries’s father and more recently helped Ries estab-

On his return to Germany Ries lived initially in Bad

lish himself in London. Ashe, who made his London debut

Godesberg, near Bonn, before moving to Frankfurt three

performing a flute concerto of his own composition, enjoyed

years later. Although nominally retired, he took an active

a very successful career, playing in Salomon’s famous concerts

part in the Lower Rhine Music Festivals and his works

in the Hanover Square Rooms in  and later becoming a

formed a major part of their repertory during the s.

founding member of the Philharmonic Society. These circum-

He was also appointed head of the town orchestra and

stances all suggest that Ries may have composed a number

the Singakademie of Aachen in . During these last

of works for Ashe but, alas, no corroborative details have yet

years he collaborated with Fritz Wegeler in the seminal

come to light. Similar claims might be made for Louis Drouët

Biographische Notizen über Ludwig van Beethoven pub-

(-), who made his first appearance at a Philharmonic

lished in year of his death.

Society concert in March 1816, Charles Nicholson (-

S

), one of England’s most outstanding flautists, and Anton olo works for pianoforte – and chamber works based

Fürstenau (-), through whom Ries attempted to secure

around the instrument – understandably occupy a

Weber’s post in Dresden and for whom he may have composed

central place in Ries’s output. Many of the smaller

the three quartets WoO ; in each case, however, there is an

works were consciously popular in style. As a freelance

absence of documentary evidence to prove the connections.

composer, performer and teacher Ries knew the dangers

Ries might have composed works for any of these flautists or

of ignoring the market for such pieces and, like Hummel

indeed none of them. The absence of strikingly idiosyncratic

and others, he cheerfully composed fantasies, sets of varia-

flute writing removes one further possible strand of evidence.

tions on popular operatic tunes and other works alongside

Ries writes beautifully for the instrument but none of his com-

larger and more serious works that, in the English press at

positions utlilizes techniques that can be associated with a spe-

least, were criticized on occasion for being too complex for

cific performer.

most of his pubic to enjoy. This pattern also holds true for

The Variations for Pianoforte & Flute on a Portuguese Hymn

Ries’s music for flute. He composed a significant amount

was composed in  and published two years later in London,

of music for the instrument ranging from the Trio, Op.,

along with another set of variations, by Clementi, Collard &

published in , to a group of smaller works with flute

Collard. The title page of the edition reads: AE440 – iv

‘VARIATIONS, / FOR / Piano Forte and Flute, / ON A / PORTUGUESE HYMN, / Composed and Dedicated to / Mrs Elvire Wergifosse, / By FERD: RIES. / Ent. Sta. Hall. _____ Op. No.. _____ Pr. // London, Published by Clementi, Collard & Collard, / CHEAPSIDE’. The theme is the famous hymn Adeste Fideles which Ries’s English public would have known as O Come, All Ye Faithful, an eighteenth-century hymn, now associated with Christmas, that is generally believed to have been composed by J F Wade (-). Ries’s decision – or that of the publisher – not to use the theme’s vernacular title is puzzling particularly as the work was clearly intended for the domestic market. Perhaps the title owes something to its dedicatee, Mrs Wergifosse, who, whether English or Portuguese, flautist or pianist, must surely have been pleased with Ries’s sparkling variations.

This edition is based on a copy of the Clementi, Collard & Collard print preserved in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz Musikabteilung mit MendelssohnArchiv. The original edition was carefully engraved for the most part and does not offer too many difficulties to the editor. Nonetheless, there are instances where dynamic markings and articulations are ambiguous and, in some places, where wrong notes have crept into the score. The style and notation of articulation and dynamic markings have been standardized throughout, and, where missing from the source, markings have been reconstructed from parallel passages. These are indicated by the use of dotted slurs or brackets. Obvious wrong notes have been corrected without comment; editorial emendations with no authority from the source are places within brackets.

Uwe Grodd’s research for this edition was made possible with the support of a grant from the University of Auckland Research Committee UARC. Allan Badley Uwe Grodd

AE440 – v

AE440 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vi

variations on a portuguese hymn, op.152 no.1 Ferdinand Ries – Edited by Uwe Grodd

Flauto

Pianoforte

�

&

&

###

###

# # & # 42 ‰

∑

### 2 j & 4œ a ? # # # 42 ‰ ∑

&

### œ œ œ œ

###

œ

œ œ

a

œ

‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ ˙˙ œ

��

&

###

###

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

© Artaria Editions Limited ���� AE��� – �

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œÆ

œ

œ œ

∑

œ œ œ œ œ œ> œ œ œ œ œ œœ k œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ # œœ ' œ [C] decresc. œ œ œ œ œ œ œÆ œ œ œ œ œ ? ### ∑ Œ ‰ J &

œ

∑

œ œ œ œœ ‰ œ œ œœ ‰ # œœœ œœœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ j œœ ‰ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

˙ ˙

œ. œ ˙

a

∑

œ œ œ œ

œ

j œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ ‰ # œœj ‰ œ œ œj œ œ œ œœ œœ a ? ### œ œ œ œ j ‰ j ‰ ‰ œ œ œœ .. œ &

∑

œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœ œœ œœ œ . . œ

œœ # œœ .. œ ˙ ˙ ˙˙ ? ### œ œ œ ��

∑

œ œ œœ œœœ œ œ œ. œ.

‰ œJ

Œ

∑

∑

œœ œœ œ œœ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ a œ œ œ œ œ j‰ œ ∑

∑

Œ

œœ .. œœ œœœ œœœ ... œ œ .. œ œ a œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ

‰ œJ

‰

œœ œ

œ

‰

��

&

###

œ

### ‰ &

k

? ### ��

&

&

### œ

###

? ###

œ œ

œ

œ

œ œ œ œ

‰ œj ‰ n œœj œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ # œ œ œ œ a k j j œ ∑ œ ‰ #œ ‰ œ œ œ #œ œ œ

œ

œ

œ

f

œ œ

∑

∑

&

&

###

œœ ? # # # œœ

Ϯ Ϯ

œœ C

œœ œœ ' ' C œÆ œÆ

# # # œJ ‰ &

��

Œ

œ

œ

œ œ ≈ œR œ œ œ J a

‰ œj Œ œœ j œ ‰ Œ œ œ.

œ

œ nœ œ nœ

∑

∑

œœ œœ ‰ œ J ' '

r r œœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ ‰ a œ œ R ≈R ≈ ‰

‰

œ J

œ.

a

‰ œjœ œ

Œ

C

œ

j œ ‰ œ

œ

‰

j ‰ œœ ‰ œ j œœ ‰ ‰ œ œ #œ œœœœœ

œ ≈œœ a

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ ... œ œ œ œ

œÆ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ #œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œœ a

œ œ' œÆ

œ

j ‰ œœ œ aj œ ‰ œ

œ œ œ œ

œ

œ

Œ ‰ j œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œ a C ∑ ∑

∑

œœ n œ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ

œ

∑

decresc.

### j œœ & œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ a dolce j # ? ## ‰ œœ œœ ‰ œœ ' ' ### œ

œ

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œ œ œ f decresc. j œ. #œ œ. #œ

œ œ œ œ

Var. I ### ‰ &

��

œ

j œœ #œ œ œ J

œœœœ

œ. #œ .

œ œ œ ‰ œ J

‰

œ

r r œœ ≈ œœœ ≈ ‰ œj œœœœ #œ œ œ œ r r j œœ ≈ œ ≈ Œ œ ≈œ ≈‰ œ œ œ œ R R

Æ œÆ œÆ Æ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œœ

### œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œœœ ... ? # # # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .. œ

AE��� – �

[C] j r ≈ œr ≈ œr ≈ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ C œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ R≈R ≈ R≈ R≈ J

œ

œ

j œœ #œ œ œ J

œ œœ

œ œœ œœœœ œ r r œœ ≈ œœ ≈ ‰ œ J ' '

œ œœ œ œ œœ #œ a

r r j œœ ≈ œœ ≈ ‰ œœ œ œ #œ a œ œ œ R ≈R ≈‰ œ J