Berlin library offers rare viewing of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony score for 200th anniversary

Record ID: 1816011

  • Title: Berlin library offers rare viewing of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony score for 200th anniversary
  • Date: 6th May 2024
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (MAY 6, 2024) (REUTERS) BERLIN STATE LIBRARY RESTORER MARGRIT POLACZEK SHOWING ORIGINAL SCORE OF THE 'SYMPHONY NO. 9', OPUS 125 POLACZEK LEAFING THROUGH PAGES CLOSE OF SCORE INFORMATION ABOUT SCORE IN LIBRARY (SOUNDBITE) (German) BERLIN STATE LIBRARY RESTORER, MARGRIT POLACZEK, SAYING: "This is the score of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which is now celebrating its 200th anniversary. Handwritten on paper by Beethoven, as you can see, not written in one go, but corrected several times, edited, crossed out in various versions, erased, rewritten, until this score finally came about."
  • Embargoed: 20th May 2024 16:34
  • Keywords: 200th anniversary 9th symphony Beethoven Berlin library
  • Location: BERLIN + BONN, GERMANY / GDANSK, POLAND / VIENNA, AUSTRIA
  • City: BERLIN + BONN, GERMANY / GDANSK, POLAND / VIENNA, AUSTRIA
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Music,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA002024606052024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th Symphony will mark its 200th anniversary on Tuesday (May 7) since its world premiere on the 7th May 1824 at the Theater am Kärtnertor in Vienna.
    To celebrate Berlin's State Library (Staatsbibliothek) is now displaying the original score, annotated by Beethoven himself, complete with traces of the composition process.
    Since its premiere the 9th Symphony and its famous finale and fourth movement, the Ode to Joy have resounded across the world to mark special occasions.
    It is the anthem of Europe, was performed after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and is often heard at peace protests.
    Berlin library restorer Margret Polaczek says that original Beethoven writings like these are rarely exhibited in public.
    One of the library books is the complete score of the 9th Symphony, and then there are several smaller booklets, so-called fascicles, in which certain smaller sections of the score are summarised. But also Beethoven's notes.
    Ludwig van Beethoven, born in Bonn, died in 1827 in Vienna, the city where his 9th Symphony was premiered, and a focal point of his life.
    (Production: Oliver Barth, Stephan Schepers, Tanya Wood)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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