Canons
Lieber Freistädtler, lieber Gaulimauli, K. 232 (509a) (4 voices)
O du eselhafter Peierl, K. 560a (4 voices)
Lacrimoso son io, K. 555 (4 voices)
Caro bell'idol mio, K. 562 (3 voices)
Bona nox! bist a rechta Ox, K. 561 (4 voices)
Ave Maria, K. 554 (4 voices)
Program Notes by Martin Pearlman
In Mozart's day, singing canons (or rounds) was a popular social pastime and one that was not meant for the concert hall. While canons are challenging to write, they are quite short and easily learned and so are well suited to amateur gatherings. Mozart wrote over two dozen canons some for friends to sing and some as compositional exercises, not to mention the canons that turn up in sections of his larger works. The canons that he wrote for friends have an astonishing range from the scatological to the religious. Some make merciless, adolescent fun of people known to his circle of friends, while others are beautiful miniatures set to lyrical or even devotional texts.
In the first of these six canons, Lieber Freistädtler, the names Finta, Scultetti and the nickname Gaulimauli refer to real people, while some of the other names come from a farcical play that they knew. The canon O du eselhafter Peierl ridicules Johann Nepomuk Peyerl, a Bavarian tenor who was for a time in the Salzburg theater. The name Peirl was changed in later versions to Martin and Jakob to direct the sarcasm at the concert promoter Philipp Jakob Martin.
For the two more serious and poetic Italian canons, Lacrimoso son io and Caro bell'idol mio, Mozart chose older texts that had already been set in canon by Caldara and others; later Lacrimoso son io would be set by Schubert. In Bona nox, the jumble of different languages, as well as the obscene sentiments will be familiar to readers of Mozart's letters. The occasion for which he wrote the Ave Maria is uncertain, but it does seem to be for the same circle of friends who sang his more earthy canons.
The first of these six canons dates from 1787, shortly before the premiere of Don Giovanni.The others were all entered into his personal catalogue of works on September 2, 1788, just after he completed the Jupiter Symphony.
Lieber Freistädtler, lieber Gaulimauli
Lieber Freistädtler,
Lieber Gaulimauli,
Lieber Stachelschwein,
Wo gehn Sie hin?
Etwa zum Finta,
Oder zum Scultetti?
Ha, wohin, wohin?
Ei, zu kein'm von beiden,
Nein, sondern zum Kitscha
Geht der Herr von Lilienfeld,
Und nicht der Freistädtler,
Nein, auch nicht der Gaulimauli,
Weder der Stachelschwein,
Sondern der Herr von Lilienfeld.
Dear Freistädtler,
dear Horsemouth,
dear porcupine,
where are you going?
Maybe to the Finta,
or to the Scultetti?
Ha, where, where?
Why, to neither,
no, but to the Kitscha
goes Herr von Lilienfeld,
and not Freistädtler,
no, not Horsemouth either,
nor the porcupine,
but Herr von Lilienfeld.
O du eselhafter Peierl
O du eselhafter Peierl!
O du Peierlischer Esel!
Du bist so faul
Als wie ein Gaul,
Der weder Kopf noch Haxen hat.
Mir dir ist gar nichts anzufangen,
Ich seh dich noch am Galgen hangen.
Du dummer Gaul,
Du bist so faul
Du dummer Peierl
Bist so faul
Als wie ein Gaul.
O lieber Freund, ich bitte dich,
O leck mich doch geschwind im Arsch!
Ach, lieber Freund, verzeihe mir,
Den Arsch petschier ich dir.
Peierl! Nepomuk! Peierl! verzeihe mir!
O you asinine Peierl,
o you Peierly ass,
you're as useless
as a nag
that has neither head nor hocks.
There is nothing to be done with you;
I can see you yet hanging on the gallows.
You stupid nag,
you're so useless;
you stupid Peierl,
you're as useless
as a nag.
O dear friend, I beg you,
oh, quickly lick my ass!
Ah, dear friend, forgive me,
I'm going to whip your ass.
Peierl! Nepomuk! Peierl! forgive me!
Lacrimoso son io
Lacrimoso son io.
Perduto ho l'idol mio.
Lacrimoso son io.
I am heartbroken.
I have lost my beloved.
I am heartbroken.
Caro bell'idol mio
Caro bell'idol mio,
Non ti scordar di me!
Tengo sempre desio
D'esser vicino a te.
My dear, beautiful beloved,
do not forget me!
I always carry the desire
to be near you.
Bona nox! bist a rechta Ox
Bona nox! bist a rechta Ox;
Bona notte, liebe Lotte;
Bonne nuit, pfui, pfui;
Good night, good night,
Heut müß ma noch weit;
Gute Nacht, gute Nacht,
Scheiß ins bett, daß' kracht;
Gute Nacht, schlaf fein g'sund
Und reck den Arsch zum Mund.
Good night [Latin]! you're a real ox;
good night [Italian], dear Lotte;
good night [French], shame on you;
good night, good night [English],
today we have still more to do;
good night, good night [German],
shit in the bed till it cracks;
good night, sleep soundly
and put your ass to your mouth.
Ave Maria
Ave Maria.
Hail, Mary.
Boston Baroque Performances
Six canons
March 5, 1993
NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor