The Ruins of Athens
The Ruins of Athens is called a festival (op. 113) by Ludwig van Beethoven based on the text by August von Kotzebue.
Reception history
1808 (now part of Budapest) started the construction of a theater in the Hungarian city of Pest. The client was Franz Joseph Karl, Archduke of Austria, who wanted to honor in this way the loyalty of Hungary to the Austrian monarchy. The theater was having a solid game - be inaugurated - framed by a musical prelude and postlude. The order was received August von Kotzebue. Beethoven was for the pros and the epilogue contribute the music. Within weeks he had in 1811 composed the music. Originally, October 4, the feast day of the emperor, planned as a day of the inauguration, however, could not be met this deadline. The premiere then took place on 9 February 1812. The music composed by Beethoven Prelude was called " King Stephen ," and the sequel has the same title as the actual festival, "The Ruins of Athens ".
Today, the work will be performed on any stage more. Occasionally one encounters even the musical numbers in the concert hall. Something frequently heard there the overture and the Turkish march, aside from the vocal parts.
Musical numbers
- Overture ( Andante con moto - Allegro, ma non troppo )
- Chorus: daughter of the mighty Zeus (Andante poco sostenuto )
- Duet ( a Greek and a Greek girl ): Through no fault tolerate slavery (Andante con moto - Poco più mosso )
- Chorus of the Dervishes: You have in your sleeve folds ( Allegro, ma non troppo )
- Marcia alla turca ( Vivace )
- Between music (Allegro assai, ma non troppo )
- March with chorus: Adorn the altar ( Assai moderato )
- Chorus: We carry receptive heart in the breast ( Allegretto, ma non troppo )
- Aria ( High Priest ) and Chorus: Will our genius grant one wish ( Adagio )
- Chorus: Hail to our King! Heil! ( Allegro con fuoco )
Action
The work plays at the time when the theater was built in Pest. Greece is part of the Ottoman Empire. The goddess Athena, daughter of mighty Zeus, awakened after thousands of years. When she noticed how the once magnificent buildings in the city named after her only ruins are still, she is deeply saddened. She hears a Greek entertains with a Greek girl. Both complain of the Turkish rule ( " no fault tolerate slavery "). Athena calls on their compatriots to rise up against their oppressors.
On the help of the emperor of the imperial monarchy hoping to Athena goes - accompanied by the messenger god Hermes - to Pest, where both the opening of the new theater to attend. You will experience a triumph of the Muses, Thalia and Melpomene. Between those two busts of Zeus is another of the Emperor Francis, and Athena puts him on the crown. With the chorus " Hail to our King! Heil! We are happy to swear anew old Hungarian loyalty " then ends the festival.
Records and source
German Grammophon Resonance No. 2535 151 (1970) Performers: Arleen Auger, Klaus Hirte, Franz Crass, RIAS Chamber Choir and the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Bernhard Klee
Processing
The Ruins of Athens is also a festival with dances and choruses, which has been composed by Richard Strauss in 1924 based on the text by Hugo von Hofmannsthal with partial use of Beethoven's previous work.