Exhibitions

This temporary exhibition at the Beethoven-Haus presents a selection of decorative editions of Beethoven's music. They come from the holdings of the Beethoven Archive and are characterised by their unusual bibliophile appearance. The exhibition draws attention to this special type of decorative art, which was widespread in the 18th and first half of the 19th century.

In contrast to today, music publishers in earlier centuries used the larger page format that was common for music publications. The space offered by the title page inspired them to create artistic designs. It thus became a showcase for the music: with lettering, borders and pictures, it tried to arouse the customer's interest in buying.

Beethoven's music publishers also sent effective "music titles" before the sheet music. Passepartout frames or customised designs for individual editions ensured an attractive appearance. Ornamental or floral framing is typical. Antique figures, putti, winged genii and musical instruments were also popular decorative motifs. However, there were also purely calligraphically designed music titles.

In addition to the name "Beethoven", the instrumentation, genre and of course the price, the special design has certainly contributed significantly to the popularity and attractiveness of a sheet music edition.

Brief Guide
Petit Guide