Overture written "refreshed and revitalized"
Beethoven was staying at a health resort in Baden when in September 1822 he was asked to complement with new compositions the music for dramatist Meisl's one-act play "Consecration of the House", which already included previous works. There was not much time because the music was to be performed on the re-opening of the Josefstadt Theatre in early October. Obviously, Beethoven felt so refreshed from the health treatments that he wrote a whole overture within a few days. On the score copied from the autograph as a first copy, he noted in pencil: "geschrieben in Baden im erwachen neuer Gesundheit" (written in Baden, refreshed and revitalized) (second title page, image 7). A few years later, for the string quartet in A minor (op. 132), once again Beethoven attributed the creation of a composition to his convalescence.
The byname "The Consecration of the House" is neither mentioned on the autograph nor on the copies of the original edition. Working under pressure, the copyist had missed the fact that the composition was new and had even taken the heading from the pieces that were to be used again, namely "The Ruins of Athens". Only the addition to the title proves that the composition had indeed been played as introductory music at the opening of the Josefstadt Theatre". To be on the safe side, Beethoven added the date of October 3, 1822, and his signature. (F.G.)
