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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…
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1. 22 of the most beautiful musical manuscripts
These are 22 of the most beautiful musical manuscripts
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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
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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
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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
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5. Saint Wulfram Gospels
Jesus' crucifixion, depicted in a miniature from the Saint Wulfram Gospels, 15th-Century France. Picture: Getty
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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
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7. The firebird
A manuscript score of Stravinsky's 'The Firebird'. Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale De France (Library) Picture: Getty
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8. Blind man's buff
People playing blind man's buff, miniature from Chansonnier de Paris, around 1280-1315, France. Picture: Getty
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9. Beethoven's Grosse Fuge
The manuscript of Beethoven's Grosse Fuge in B flat major, Op 133 for string quartet. Credit: Getty
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10. Elgar
A score signed by the great British composer Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934). Picture: Getty
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11. A Prelude by J.S. Bach
A manuscript of music by Johann Sebastian Bach. Credit: Getty
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12. Song of love
Song of love, miniature by Chansonnier de Paris in a manuscript from France, 1280-1315. Picture: Getty
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13. Rhapsody in Blue
A copy of the first page of the autographed manuscript of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue from 1924. Picture: Getty
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14. Vellum
An antiquated illuminated manuscript on vellum. Credit: Getty
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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
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16. Schumann
From around 1845: a page of music by Robert Schumann that belonged to the famous violinist Joseph Joachim. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
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17. Illuminated manuscript
A beautiful illuminated musical manuscript. Credit: Getty
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18. Schumann's Ritornelles
A manuscript of Robert Schumann's 'Ritornelles', for male chorus, in canon form from January 1852. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
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19. Rossini
A page of musical manuscript by Gioacchino Rossini from around 1858. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
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20. The Resurrection
An illustration showing the Resurrection, c. 1500. Found in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Picture: Getty
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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
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22. Beethoven's handwriting
A manuscript showing music written in Beethoven's own hand. Credit: Getty
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23. Handel's Belshazzar
A facsimile of Handel's 'Belshazzar' oratorio. Photo: Jan Woitas
