Ludwig van Beethoven, Skizzenblatt zur Schauspielmusik zu "Ungarns erster Wohltäter" op. 117, Autograph

Two lots of stage music in just three weeks

The music to Kotzebue's "King Stephan" or "Hungary's first benefactor" op. 117 was composed in the summer of 1811, at the same time as the music for "The Ruins of Athens" op. 113, also by Kotzebue. At the end of July 1811 Beethoven went to spend the summer in Teplitz, to have a rest. Just before his departure he received both the texts for the productions, which were to be performed at the opening of the new imperial theatre in Pest in the autumn. Kotzebue was an extraordinarily successful writer, and so the music was also to come from a similarly renowned composer. In the belief that his music was needed at the beginning of October - the opening was planned in October, but in the end took place in February of the year after - Beethoven spent his holiday composing the music for them both, despite the fact that his doctor had forbidden him to work. He claimed to have completed work on them in only three weeks, "to do something for those moustachios [the Hungarians] who are genuinely fond of me". The content of these festival pieces is suitably patriotic, as befitted the occasion, the opening of an imperial theatre in Hungary. King Stephan, patron saint of Hungary, introduced centralist monarchy and a state church to Hungary in the early eleventh century.

Kotzebue cleverly combined Hungarian heroism and homage for the Habsburg Monarchy. The sketch leaf shown here contains sketches for both of the first choruses, homage of "true Hungarians" to Stephan. On the front page on the lower half of the leaf you can see notes with the text "Hail to your Father, our Saviour, who gave us belief and hope". (J.R.)