Library

The library of the Beethoven-Haus is a scientific library and music library serving special purposes related to Ludwig van Beethoven's biography, oeuvre and impact. The library owns more than 80,000 items (sheet music, books, essays, articles, magazines, audio and audiovisual media). Reproductions of manuscripts from other libraries (more than 6,000 photographs and microfilms) as well as the original proprietary collections of the Beethoven-Haus (about 10,000 autographs, pictures and images, instruments, objects and files) complement the library’s inventory.

The Beethoven-Haus library collects literature, music supplies and audio media about and related to Beethoven and his surroundings from the early beginning until today. The entire inventory is listed in catalogues and the library also maintains a digital archive. Regarding the acquisition, protection, indexing and digitalisation of the inventory, particular focus is set on first and early prints and Beethoven's own library.

The Beethoven-Haus library is open to the public for free. The whole inventory can be used on request in the reading room.

Several research tools are available for researching the holdings of the Beethoven-Haus.     

Catalogue search:

• Library catalogue (search for literature, music scores, facsimile editions and audio-visual materials; 94,000 data sets)
• Catalogue for manuscripts (search for music manuscripts, letters and other hand written documents; 3,900 data sets)
• Catalogue for pictures (search for pictures, sculptures, music instruments and other objects; 6,900 data sets)
• Press catalogue (search for articles from the daily press concerning the topic Beethoven; 15,500 data sets)
• Catalogue of files (search for Beethoven-Haus Associaton files and records; 1,400 data sets)   

Lists: 

• Arrangements of Beethoven's orchestral music
• Arrangements of Beethoven's piano and chamber music
• Arrangements of works by other composers
• Early editions of string quartets during Beethoven's lifetime
• Rolls for reproducing piano
• Recordings of Beethoven's works (Collection Klaus Steltmann) + supplement      
• Composing after Beethoven
• Music rolls for art piano and organ (Martin Schøyen Collection)
• Works by Beethoven on records (Martin Schøyen Collection)

Digital Archives:

The Digital Archives provide systematic access to the digitised holdings of the Beethoven-Haus. Besides images and bibliographic information rich audio and text data, search tools and index browsing are available. The reading room of the library also offers access to images with higher resolution.     

Links: 

For additional information and search tools, please see our link list.

1. The digitised collections of the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn are available to all interested parties via the Beethoven House website for non-commercial use. Any commercial use or reproduction requires permission. Contact: bildstelle@beethoven.de.

2. When using the digitised material, the Beethoven-Haus, as the owning institution, must be named in the form ‘Beethoven-Haus Bonn’ or ‘Beethoven-Haus Bonn, H.C. Bodmer Collection’ or similar, and the permanent link to the digitised material must be provided.

3. High-resolution digital copies (original resolution of the master file) can be ordered from the digitised collection. From the non-digitised collection digital copies (produced using a simple scanner) can also be ordered. Contact: bildstelle@beethoven.de

4. The following prices, delivery and shipping conditions apply to ordered digital copies: 
High-resolution file from the digitised collection (approx. 400-600 dpi): 2 euros
File from the non-digitised collection with 300 dpi: 1 euro
File from the non-digitised collection with 150 dpi (black and white): 50 cents
A one-time processing fee of 10 euros will be charged for each order. The prices are final prices including statutory value added tax, plus the costs for postage and packaging. The purchase price is due upon receipt of the order confirmation. The goods will be shipped after receipt of payment.

5. The following terms of use apply to digital copies:
Digital copies may only be used for the agreed purpose, may not be reproduced and may not be passed on to third parties. The republication (e.g. as a reproduction template for print publications, as a PDF file, app, eBook for download, or for display on electronic data carriers and websites) requires contractual regulation and approval by the Beethoven-Haus. Contact: bildstelle@beethoven.de

6. Fees are charged for the republication of a digitised copy, depending on the intended use. 

7. The customer undertakes to send a specimen copy free of charge of every publication for which the material received has served as a working basis or is reproduced. Address: Beethoven-Haus Bonn, Library, Bonngasse 24-26, 53111 Bonn, Germany.