Carl Meisl's play The Consecration of the House, to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, was performed in Vienna on 3 October 1822 on the occasion of the reopening of the Theater in der Josefstadt. Its theme is the reawakening of art after times of crisis.

Beethoven's music to August von Kotzebue's text The Ruins of Athens (1812) served as the basis for the work, and was adapted to Meisl's text as well as expanded to include new music by the composer. Beethoven seems to have started composing for the upcoming performance only in September 1822, writing new music for those of Meisl's texts for which nothing suitable could be found in The Ruins of Athens. The dance with chorus "Wo sich die Pulse jugendlich jagen" is listed separately as Woo (work without opus number) 98, as is the March, op. 114, which was reworked for the play.

The Overture achieved a high degree of popularity. Its prominent position as a separate opus (124) between the Missa solemnis and the Ninth Symphony reveals that Beethoven likely approved its use as a concert overture.