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22 of the world's most beautiful manuscripts

The 22nd of November is dedicated to St Cecilia – the patron saint of music. So what better way to mark the occasion than with a gallery of some of the most eye-catching musical manuscripts, from the earliest Gregorian chants to scores signed by Elgar? Here are some of our favourites…

1. 22 of the most beautiful musical manuscripts

These are 22 of the most beautiful musical manuscripts
2. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

The manuscript for Ludwig van Beethoven's first edition of the Ninth Symphony, which was sold for £2.1m in 2003. Credit: Ian Waldie/Getty
3. Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante

An image of one of the surviving leaves of Mozart's own draft manuscript for the Sinfonia Concertante in E Flat for violin, viola and orchestra. Credit: Getty
4. Chopin's Prelude in D flat

A facsimile of the manuscript of Chopin's Prelude in D flat. Op. 28. No. 15. Credit: Getty
5. Saint Wulfram Gospels

Jesus' crucifixion, depicted in a miniature from the Saint Wulfram Gospels, 15th-Century France. Picture: Getty
6. J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier

From around 1721, this is the first page of the musical manuscript of Johann Sebastian Bach's 'The Well-Tempered Clavichord' showing the first prelude. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
7. The firebird

A manuscript score of Stravinsky's 'The Firebird'. Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale De France (Library) Picture: Getty
8. Blind man's buff

People playing blind man's buff, miniature from Chansonnier de Paris, around 1280-1315, France. Picture: Getty
9. Beethoven's Grosse Fuge

The manuscript of Beethoven's Grosse Fuge in B flat major, Op 133 for string quartet. Credit: Getty
10. Elgar

A score signed by the great British composer Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934). Picture: Getty
11. A Prelude by J.S. Bach

A manuscript of music by Johann Sebastian Bach. Credit: Getty
12. Song of love

Song of love, miniature by Chansonnier de Paris in a manuscript from France, 1280-1315. Picture: Getty
13. Rhapsody in Blue

A copy of the first page of the autographed manuscript of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue from 1924. Picture: Getty
14. Vellum

An antiquated illuminated manuscript on vellum. Credit: Getty
15. Schubert's Erlkönig

1815: The manuscript of Franz Schubert's first sketch of the song 'Erlkönig from 1815, showing a different right-hand accompaniment to the finally published version. Credit: Getty
16. Schumann

From around 1845: a page of music by Robert Schumann that belonged to the famous violinist Joseph Joachim. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
17. Illuminated manuscript

A beautiful illuminated musical manuscript. Credit: Getty
18. Schumann's Ritornelles

A manuscript of Robert Schumann's 'Ritornelles', for male chorus, in canon form from January 1852. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
19. Rossini

A page of musical manuscript by Gioacchino Rossini from around 1858. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
20. The Resurrection

An illustration showing the Resurrection, c. 1500. Found in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Picture: Getty
21. A rediscovered piece of music by J.S. Bach

A manuscript of a re-discovered composition by J. S. Bach, a "ritornello aria" in which the different verses of the aria are interrupted by short passages of instrumental music. Credit: Getty
22. Beethoven's handwriting

A manuscript showing music written in Beethoven's own hand. Credit: Getty
23. Handel's Belshazzar

A facsimile of Handel's 'Belshazzar' oratorio. Photo: Jan Woitas