BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, October 2, 1820 (approximately)

With the Credo autograph being copied by Wenzel Schlemmer for use as a working copy, and a draft of the sonata op.109 mostly complete, Beethoven now returns to the next movement of the Missa Solemnis in earnest. Concentrated work on the Benedictus movement occupies Beethoven for nearly the entire month of October. He uses primarily the pocket sketchbook BH 109 for his work on the Benedictus.

In addition, the “Malerich Manuscript,” a privately-held leaf, contains additional sketches for the Benedictus. This appears to be one of about four pages that were torn from the desk sketchbook Artaria 195, which Beethoven used primarily for his sketches on the Credo for the Mass and the piano sonata op.109. Beethoven may have done additional work on these pages in the desk sketchbook, and then removed them to use together with the pocket sketchbook to produce the autograph of this movement.