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Opus 80, the Fantasia for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra is a somewhat strange composition. During the first 400 bars a dialogue develops between the piano and orchestra, and the choir only joins in for the last 200 bars. The "Choral Fantasia" was first performed in one of Beethoven's academies on 22 December 1808. The autograph score of the vocal parts shown here is, however, from 1810 and was probably made as part of the printing preparations. It did not serve as the engraver's model but was the basis for it, as Beethoven's corrections in red crayon show. On the reverse of the title page one of Beethoven's most important copyists, Wenzel Rampl, made a note of the bars' rests preceding the choir's entry. This first leaf was not, however, added at a later stage but was an integral part of the manuscript. So this means that Beethoven either intended adding the overview of the rests at this particular place right from the beginning, or that he wrote the parts after the copyist had added this overview. He had in any case already conceived of adding an overview. (J.R.)
