BEETHOVEN 2020 VIENNA

This year 2020 we celebrate 250 years from the birth of the great Ludwig van Beethoven. He spent most of his life in Vienna. All of his 9 symphonies are written and performed for the first time in Vienna. The city offers special exhibitions in combination with his music. Here is an extract of some of the exhibitions connected with Beethoven 2020 I would suggest to you:

Beethoven. World of the Man and Spark of the Gods until April 19, 2020, State Hall of the Austrian National Library
In the baroque State Hall of the National Library you will see original manuscripts of Beethoven’s compositions that have become part of the classical canon, such as the Violin Concerto Op. 61, the “Spring Sonata” Op. 24 or the String Quartet Op. 95. You can also admire original letters with the hand writing of Beethoven! Most of the exhibits are held by the Austrian National Library.

Beethoven moves from March 25th to July 5th, 2020, Kunsthistorisches Museum
On this exhibition you will not only hear Beethoven’s music but will also see it! You will admire paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, sketchbooks by William Turner, graphic works by Francisco de Goya and Jorinde Voigt, sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Rebecca Horn and John Baldessari, a performative sculpture by Tino Sehgal, a video by Guido van der Werve and much more, all of which are brought into dialogue with the music and persona of Beethoven.

Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze in the Secession until December 31, 2020
Gustav Klimt created the Beethoven Frieze for the Secession’s XIVth exhibition in 1902 on the 75th anniversary of his death. It is conceived as a total work of art dedicated to the 9th symphony of Beethoven.
The Secession offers a singular multimedia experience in cooperation with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Using headphones, the visitors of the Secession will hear the fourth movement of the Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 in a new recording.

A visit to the Secession is part of my Vienna 1900 tour.
A visit to the Beethoven Museum at Probusgasse in Heiligenstadt in Vienna is part of my Music in Vienna tour with focus on Beethoven.