Christ on the Mount of Olives, Op. 85

In the case of the oratorio Christus am Olberge (Christ on the Mount of Olives), Breitkopf Haertel can finally make amends to Beethoven for a slight committed more than 200 years ago. As in-house composer of the Theater an der Wien, Beethoven was given the chance to perform an oratorio there in the Passion Week of 1803. In no time at all, he had produced the sketch for his first and sole work in this genre. Christus am Olberge was premiered on April 5, 1803 in an academy concert at which his Symphony No. 2 and his Piano Concerto No. 3 were also heard for the first time. However, the original edition of the full score for this work was not published until October 1811. Breitkopf Haertel, which published the first edition, disapproved of the opera-like libretto by Franz Xaver Huber so strongly that it had the texts revised after the first performance without Beethoven's authorization. Anja Muhlenwegs' Urtext edition finally corrects this affront. The piano/vocal score is edited by Carl Reinecke and is available for purchase. The additional offerings from this edition are available for rental only.