Beethoven's workshop

The project funded by the Mainz Academy of Sciences and Literature, 'Beethoven's Workshop. Genetic Text Criticism and Digital Music Edition', funded by the Mainz Academy of Sciences and Literature, has produced a digital sketchbook edition for the first time. This reconstruction and edition of the so-called 'Notirungsbuch K', the main part of which is in the possession of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn, contains sketches for the Ninth Symphony and the Diabelli Variations.

The basic research project, which has been based at the Beethoven-Haus and the Detmold/Paderborn Musicology Seminar since 2014, has developed specific digital tools and visualisation techniques to make Beethoven's compositional working methods accessible. The current 4th research module shows in a fascinating way how Beethoven prepared his works through extensive sketching work in order to finally realise them in scores. The Bonn-Detmold research team will present its conceptual considerations and the results of its work, which are not only intended for the specialist faculty, but also provide insights into creative processes that bring us a little closer to the composer.

Following the presentation, the research team will answer project-related questions from the audience.