BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, October 29, 1824 (approximately)

Likely today or tomorrow, there is a performance of Christus am Ölberge, op.85, by Beethoven, at the Edinburgh Musical Festival, for the benefit of the public charities. The Festival runs from the evening of October 25th through Saturday, October 30. There are three morning oratorio concerts during the Festival, given at the Parliament House. The third of these is the Beethoven oratorio. The English, being queasy about including the name of Christ in the title of a work, bill it simply as “The Mount of Olives.” Sir George Smart conducts.

The Harmonicon, January 1825 at 20. That report on the Festival continued, “The evening performances [held at the theatre royal] comprised some of the finest orchestral compositions, symphonies, overtures, &c. of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Romberg, Rossini, Cherubini and Weber: with solos, concertos, &c., by the chiefs of the various instruments.” No further details appear to be known about the other Beethoven works performed in Edinburgh during this event.