Beethoven: Christus Am Olberge

Beethoven composed the oratorio Christus am Ölberge (Christ on the Mount of Olives) in just ‘a fortnight, amid all sorts of tumult and other unpleasant and alarming events in my life’. It marked the first time since 1790 that he had embarked on a multi-movement vocal work. Christus am Ölberge was also Beethoven’s first composition on a religious subject and+O263 remained his only oratorio. (Phi)