Johann Georg Sulzer, Allgemeine Theorie der Schönen Künste, Artikel "Rezitativ", Autograph Beethovens

Copy of an encyclopedia article

In preparation for his oratorio "Christus am Ölberge" ("Christ on the Mount of Olives") and his opera "Fidelio", Beethoven devoted himself to setting text to music and declamation as well as the accompanying musical complications between 1802 and 1804. Studying the best solutions and the rules of the art, Beethoven took "lessons" from colleagues to a certain extent. His copies of Mozart's operas are famous. But the composer also spent time studying the works of the great music theorists of the time. This bifolium shows excerpts from an encyclopedia article which Beethoven copied: musical examples and comments on the "Rezitativ" from Johann Georg Sulzers "Allgemeine Theorie der Schönen Künste". The practical music part of this article was written by the composer and music theorist Johann Abraham Peter Schulz. To illuminate the rules he chose numerous examples by Carl Heinrich Graun. Beethoven carefully copied these musical examples and annotated them. He sometimes made notes from the text of the article and also added some of his own comments. (J.R.)