Ludwig van Beethoven, Skizzenblatt zu Egmont op. 84, Autograph

Thoughts on Egmont

Beethoven was commissioned to write the incidental music to Johann Wolfgang Goethe's tragedy "Egmont" in the autumn of 1809. Goethe had already allowed for music in the play at quite a few places, as can be seen from the stage directions. The director of the Hoftheater, Joseph Hartl, ordered Goethe's idea to be realized for a performance of the drama. Beethoven probably made the sketches shown here at the beginning of the project. The many notes which he made concerning the subject of the drama testify to this. In the upper margin he wrote: "3rd act let me die there is no happiness in this world", - Klärchen's closing words in Act 3. Further down he notes some thoughts on the music: "maybe better just (?) march" and "4th act, coming in while the curtain is still up". (J.R.)