Exhibitions

The Diabelli Variations are among the most outstanding works in Beethoven's oeuvre as well as in the entire piano literature. Their genesis is curious and indicative of Beethoven's self-image as a composer. Asked by the publisher to contribute a variation to a collective work, it eventually became 33 variations of very different character. Beethoven wanted to demonstrate his mastery as a composer by showing the full range of his expressive forms and creative possibilities and uniting them into a cosmos. The exhibition presents the genesis of the work as well as its initiator, the composer and publisher Anton Diabelli. The most valuable object in the exhibition is the original manuscript of the completed work, which was acquired for the collection of the Beethoven-Haus with the support of many public and private sponsors and thus secured for the public. The fascinating manuscript, which provides a deep insight into Beethoven's workshop, was previously in inaccessible private ownership and is now being exhibited here for the first time.

Brief Guide

Petit Guide