The Consecration of the House (overture)

Ludwig van Beethoven's incidental music for The Consecration of the House is an adaptation of his earlier work The Ruins of Athens, Op 113

On the occasion of the reopening of the Josefstadt Theatre in Vienna on October 3, 1822 fitted navy war commissioner Karl Meisl the Festival at The Ruins of Athens by August von Kotzebue. There was Consecration of the House. Meisl changed while the text, so that the previous Beethoven's music does not completely fit the text, and added the text where the pulses for which Beethoven developed a new composition ( WoO 98). On the other accompanying music changed little Beethoven, but added a final chorus with a solo violin and ballet, revised a march (op. 114) and wrote the new overture (Op. 124), since the original overture as Nachstück was not appropriate.

It was the first work of Beethoven, after he had completed his studies by JS Bach and George Frideric Handel, and is therefore highly influenced by these. Beethoven dedicated the Overture to Prince Nicholas of Galitzine.

Premiere

Beethoven conducted the premiere on October 3, 1822, the feast day of the Emperor Francis, in Vienna's Josefstadt theater and sat at the piano. The 400 available seats of the theater were sold out weeks in advance. Anton Schindler played the first violin, conductor was Franz glasses, as a tenor sang Michael Greiner. Although Beethoven could still hear a little at the time, was Anton Schindler, Beethoven could not manage a larger orchestra more and the quality of the performance would have suffered. Nevertheless, the audience was enthusiastic and the performance was repeated on the following three days.

Structure of the Overture

An anecdote by Anton Schindler describes that Beethoven worked during a walk on two topics for the overture, and refers to the intention of the composer to form one of the topics according to the contrapuntal way Handel. Beethoven chose a monothematic structure in which a modulation emerges in which the subject is, however, arranged according to Haydn, which suggests an influence of the same close.

The overture begins with strings, heralding the beginning of a slow introduction in the style of Haydn. A slow, procedural, march sounds from afar. Now the winds take over the subject and be accompanied by violinists to repeat the march. The moment seems in which to arrive the imaginary procession, intensified the march and ends with fanfares and timpani. A fanfare that accompanies the bassoon sentence, and later violins begin to describe the excitement of the crowd; followed by a fast tutti section which seems to announce the main piece of the overture, but a Sonata - Allegro form paved the way. Again start trumpets and timpani, they lead to an interlude, which introduces the main piece of the overture, a fugal Allegro ( by Schindler ). Different groups of instruments rise in a change and create a fugal texture. The issue arises in the first violins; Flute and Oboe form a counter-theme with the second violins and clarinets. This section crescendo geschwinde and following the repetition brings a strong coda the overture to a brilliant conclusion.

Sets

The overture described above, Beethoven's Op.124, is the first piece in the list below. The other trains are excerpts, which Beethoven wrote or adapted from other of his works.

Music to Carl Meisl opportunity Festival, Hess 118 [ 51.19 ]

( Times after taking a picture, for guidance on the relative length of the sections)

  • The Consecration of the House, Overture, Op 124 ( 10:52 )
  • No. 1 Hidden choir. Follow the mighty reputation of honor! ( 4:05 )
  • No. 2 duet. Through no fault tolerate slavery ( 3:58 )
  • No. 3 Chorus of Dervishes ( 2:37 )
  • No. Marcia alla turca 4 (1.39 )
  • [No. 5] chorus with soprano solo, WoO 98 Where chase the pulses youthful. Let us in the dance ( 6:03 )
  • No. 6 march with chorus, Op 114 adorns the altars! ( 6:39 )
  • No. 7 Music behind the scene [ melodrama ]. It converts even the people in celebration dress ( recitation ) ( 1:45 )
  • Chorus: We carry receptive heart in my breast - Aria with Chorus: Will our genius nor a desire ( 7:58 )
  • No. 9 Chorus: Hail to our Emperor! ( 3:57 )
Johann Sebastian Bach Modulation (music)
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