Exhibitions

Exhibition for the Beethovenfest

The Missa solemnis is one of Beethoven's greatest creative achievements and stands out from his many masterpieces like very few other works. Its spiritual demands are enormous. It is a significant contribution to the cultural history of the West and is part of the world's musical heritage. Beethoven himself wrote to Ferdinand Ries on 6 July 1822: "My greatest work is a great measure which I have recently written". The premiere of the work took place in St. Petersburg in March 1824. It also represented a crystallisation point in the composer's relationship with Russia, which is also the subject of the exhibition.

At the centre, however, is the history of the work's creation. For the first time, a manuscript that is central to the history of the work's transmission is being presented to the public - the engraver's model for the first printing. At 440 pages, it is one of the most extensive Beethoven manuscripts. It is littered with entries in Beethoven's hand and also contains the later composed trombone parts, which have only survived in this source in their entirety and corrected by Beethoven. In order to finally secure the acquisition of this manuscript by the Beethoven-Haus, a performance of the work will take place in a benefit concert conducted by Enoch zu Guttenberg on 16 September as part of the Beethovenfest.

Brief Guide
Petit Guide