In the late 18th century, Joseph Haydn composed a choral work – The Creation – which set the standard for the sacred oratorio genre that stood long after the Viennese classical era and far beyond the boundaries of the German linguistic sphere.

Following sensationally acclaimed premiere performances in Vienna, The Creation was published in several languages and by various publishing houses, including Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig.

We now know that a continuo instrument was used for Haydn’s oratorio as premiered in Vienna. The supplementary continuo part enables an historically accurate reproduction for the first time: the harpsichord (and, increasingly, the pianoforte) fulfilled the important continuo function in the orchestras of the time.