Ludwig van Beethoven: Die Weihe des Hauses

Ludwig van Beethoven:: Die Weihe des Hauses Hess 118 (Consecration of the House)

Ouvertüre C-Dur op. 124

Chor “Folge dem mächtigen Ruf der Ehre”

Duett “Ohne Verschulden Knechtschaft dulden”

Marica alla turca;

Tanz mit Chor WoO 98 “Wo sich die Pulse jugendlich jagen”

Harmonie auf dem Theater

Marsch & Chor op. 114 “Schmückt die Altäre”

Rezitativ “Mit reger Freude”

Chor “Wir tragen empfänglichere Herzen im Busen”

Arie & Chor “Will unser Genius noch einen Wunsch gewähren”

Chor “Heil unserm Kaiser”

Carl Meisl’s festival play “Die Weihe des Hauses” (The Consecration of the House) is about the reawakening of art after times of crisis. It was performed with music by Ludwig van Beethoven on October 3, 1822 in Vienna for the reopening of the Theater in der Josefstadt. Beethoven’s music was based on August von Kotzebue’s text “The Ruins of Athens” (1812). The composition was adapted to Meisl’s text and expanded with new creations by Beethoven. Beethoven seems to have started composing for the upcoming performance only in September 1822 and to have composed new music on the basis of Meisl’s text, for which no adequate model could be found in the “Ruins of Athens”. The dance with chorus “Wo sich die Pulse jugendlich jagen” is listed separately as a work without opus (WoO) 98, as is the march Opus 114, which was revised for the festival. The overture achieved a high degree of recognition. Its prominent placement as a separate opus (124) between the Missa solemnis and the 9th Symphony proves that its use as a concert overture could count on Beethoven’s approval.