The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 is the last complete symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Completed in 1824, it includes part of the ode An die Freude ("Ode To Joy") by Friedrich Schiller, as text sung by soloists and a chorus in the last movement. It is the first example of a major composer using the human voice on the same level with instruments in a symphony. Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 17, 1770; died March 26, 1827) was a German composer of classical music, who predominantly lived in Vienna, Austria. ... The ode To Joy (Ode »An die Freude« in German) is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet and historian Friedrich Schiller, and known especially for its musical setting by Beethoven in the fourth and final movement of his Ninth Symphony, for four solo voices, chorus, and orchestra. ... Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (November 10, 1759 – May 9, 1805), usually known as Friedrich Schiller, was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and dramatist. ...

The symphony may be the best known of all works of European classical music, and is considered one of Beethoven's greatest masterpieces, composed whilst he was completely deaf. It plays a prominent cultural role in modern society. Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, particularly between 1000 and 1900. ... Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 17, 1770 – March 26, 1827) was a German composer of Classical music, the predominant musical figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras. ...

History

Writing of the symphony

The work was originally commissioned in 1817 by the Philharmonic Society of London (later the Royal Philharmonic Society). Beethoven supposedly started work on his last symphony in 1822 and finished it early in 1824. This was about 10 years after his eighth symphony, however Beethoven was working on this work much earlier. Beethoven wanted to put the An die Freude to music as early as 1793. He did that as a song, but unfortunately that song has been lost forever. The theme for the scherzo can be traced back to a fuga written in 1815. 1817 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society, formed in 1813. ... 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The introduction for the vocal part of the symphony caused a lot of headaches for Beethoven. Beethoven's friend, Anton Schindler, later said: "When he started working on the fourth movement the struggle began as never before. The aim was to find an appropriate way of introducing Schillers' ode. At one day he [Beethoven] entered the room and shouted 'I got it, I got it!' Then he showed me a sketchbook with the words 'let us sing the ode of the immortal Schiller'". That introduction didn't make it however, and Beethoven would spend a lot of time rewriting the part until it had its current form.

Premiere

Beethoven was eager to get his work played in Vienna as fast as possible when he finished writing. He was equivocal, however, thinking also that the musical taste in Vienna was stricken by Italian composers such as Rossini. When his friends and financiers heard this they urged him to premiere the symphony in Vienna. View of Vienna This article is about the city and federal state in Austria. ...

The Ninth Symphony was premiered May 7, 1824 in the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna. The conductor was Michael Umlauf, the musical director of the theater, who was assisted by the composer standing at his side. The work was premiered along with the overture Die Weihe des Hauses and the first three parts of the Missa solemnis. May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Michael Umlauf was the musical director of the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna during the early 19th century. ...

There are a number of anecdotes about the premiere of the Ninth. Based on testimony of the participants there are suggestions that it was under rehearsed (there were only two full rehearsals) and rather scrappy in execution. On the other hand the premiere was a big success. In any case Beethoven was not to blame, as violist Josef Bohm recalled "Beethoven directed the piece himself, that is: he stood before the lectern and gesticulated furiously. At times he raised, at other times he shrinked to the ground, he moved as if he wanted to play all the instruments himself and sing for the whole chorus. All the musicians minded his rhythm alone while playing".

At the conclusion of the performance Beethoven had to be forcibly turned around to accept the audience's cheers and applause. According to one witness, "the public received the musical hero with the utmost respect and sympathy, listened to his wonderful, gigantic creations with the most absorbed attention and broke out in jubilant applause, often during sections, and repeatedly at the end of them."

Music

Naming

The official name is: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, opus 125. The symphony is sometimes referred to as "Choral", pointing to the vocal end of the symphony. Also known as The Symphony of Joy.

Score

The Ninth Symphony is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, a string section consisting of the usual first and second violins, violas, cellos, double basses, four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone), and a chorus singing in four parts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass). These are by far the largest forces needed for any Beethoven symphony; at the premiere Beethoven expanded them further by assigning two players to each wind part. This article is about the instrument. ... This article pertains to the musical instrument. ... Modern Oboe The Oboe is a musical instrument of the woodwind double reed family. ... A bass clarinet, which sounds an octave lower than the more common Bâ™­ soprano clarinet. ... A Fox Instruments bassoon; view detail. ... The contrabassoon or double bassoon is a larger version of the bassoon sounding an octave lower. ... Horn may refer to: horn (anatomy), a hollow, pointed projection of the skin of various animals Horn, Austria horn (diacritic), a diacritic mark used to indicate that a normally rounded vowel such as o or u is to be pronounced unrounded horn (instrument) horn, a slang term for any wind... Trumpeter performing with the United States Air Forces in Europe Band The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the tuba, euphonium, trombone, sousaphone, and french horn. ... Bâ™­/F tenor trombone A lip-reed aerophone with a predominantly cylindrical bore, the trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. ... The triangle is an idiophonic musical instrument of the percussion family. ... This article is about the percussion instruments made of metal disks, for the string instrument played with beaters see cymbalum. ... A bass drum is a large, heavy drum that produces a thump of low but indefinite pitch. ... The violin is a stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a perfect fifth apart. ... The viola is a stringed musical instrument which serves as the middle voice of the violin family, between the upper lines played by the violin and the lower lines played by the cello and double bass. ... A cropped image to show the relative size of a cello to a human (Uncropped Version) The violoncello, or as it is more commonly to refered to as the cello or cello (pronounced Cheh-loh), is a stringed instrument and a member of the violin family. ... Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ...

Movements

The symphony is in four movements, marked as follows:

1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
2. Molto vivace
3. Adagio molto e cantabile
4. Presto/recitative - Allegro ma non troppo/recitative - Vivace/recitative - Adagio cantabile/recitative - Allegro assai/recitative - Presto/recitative: "O Freunde" - Allegro assai: "Freude, schöner Götterfunken" - Alla marcia - Allegro assai vivace: "Froh, wie seine Sonnen" - Andante maestoso: "Seid umschlungen, Millionen!" - Adagio ma non troppo, ma divoto: "Ihr, stürzt nieder" - Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato: "Freude, schöner Götterfunken" / "Seid umschlungen, Millionen!" - Allegro ma non tanto: "Freude, Tochter aus Elysium!" - Prestissimo: "Seid umschlungen, Millionen!"

This arrangement of movements adopts a slightly unusual Classical pattern, with the scherzo movement in second (rather than the normal third) position. Beethoven was familiar with this arrangement from Haydn's work and had used it on various occasions throughout his career (the quartets Op. 18 no. 4-5, the "Archduke" piano trio Op. 97, the "Hammerklavier" piano sonata Op. 106). In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... Maestoso (Mie-eh-stoe-zoe) is Italian for majestic. ... Vivace is Italian for lively. Vivace is used as an Italian musical term indicating a movement that is in a lively mood (and so usually in a fast tempo). ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, cantatas and similar works, is described as a melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... Vivace is Italian for lively. Vivace is used as an Italian musical term indicating a movement that is in a lively mood (and so usually in a fast tempo). ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... Vivace is Italian for lively. Vivace is used as an Italian musical term indicating a movement that is in a lively mood (and so usually in a fast tempo). ... This article is about tempo in music. ... Maestoso (Mie-eh-stoe-zoe) is Italian for majestic. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical notation, prestissimo means the music is to be played at a very fast tempo. ... The Classical period in Western music occurred in a large part of the 18th century, and into the early 19th century. ... A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ... Franz Joseph Haydn, (March 31 or April 1, 1732 – May 31, 1809) was a leading composer of the Classical period, called the Father of the Symphony and Father of the String Quartet. He used his second name, spelled in German Josef. He was the brother of Michael Haydn, himself a... The resident string quartet of the Library of Congress in 1963 A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string instruments—usually two violins, a viola and cello—or a piece written to be performed by such a group. ... A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, almost always a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. ... Beethovens Hammerklavier sonata, Op. ...

First movement

The first movement is in sonata form, following a formal model that had guided Beethoven throughout his career. The mood is generally bleak and stormy. A striking moment here is the onset of the recapitulation section, which instead of literally repeating the pianissimo opening bars in D minor, switches to fortissimo D major, a key change which has struck many listeners, paradoxically, as expressing terror or awe. Sonata form refers to both the standard layout of an entire musical composition and more specifically to the standardized form of the first movement. ... In music theory, the third major section of a movement written in sonata form. ... D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B-flat, C# and D (harmonic minor scale). ... D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F#, G, A, B, C# and D. Its key signature consists of two sharps. ...

Second movement

The second movement, a scherzo, is likewise in D minor, with the opening theme a kind of echo of the theme of the first movement, a pattern found likewise in the Hammerklavier piano sonata, written a few years earlier. It is notable for its propulsive rhythm and timpani solos (for this purpose the two timpani are tuned, unusually, an octave apart). At one point Beethoven gives the direction ritmo di tre battute, meaning that the beats of three consecutive measures must form a single rhythmic unit, as if the music were in 9/4 instead of 3/4 time; this is later reverted with ritmo di quattro battute, with the typical four-measure beat. A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ... Beethovens Hammerklavier sonata, Op. ... Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. ...

The contrasting trio section is in D major and in duple time.

Third movement

The lyrical and deeply felt slow movement, in B-flat major, is written in a loose variation form, with each of the two variations dividing the basic beat to produce a more elaborate melodic configuration than what went before. The first variation, like the theme, is in 4/4 time, the second in 12/8. The variations are separated by more impassioned passages in 3/4, the first in D major, the second in G major. The final variation is twice interrupted by striking episodes in which loud fanfares for the full orchestra are answered by double-stopped octaves played by the first violins alone. B-flat major is a major scale based on B-flat, consisting of the pitches B-flat, C, D, E-flat, F, G, A, and B-flat. ... In music, variation is a formal technique where material is altered during repetition; reiteration with changes. ... G major is a major scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, F# and G. Its key signature consists of one sharp. ...

Fourth movement

The famous choral finale has struck many listeners as somewhat rambling. Some helpful clarification can be found in the description of Charles Rosen, who characterizes it as a symphony within a symphony, containing four movements played without interruption. This "inner symphony" follows the same overall pattern as the Ninth Symphony as a whole. The scheme is as follows: Charles Rosen (born May 5, 1927) is an American pianist and music theorist. ...

• First "movement": theme and variations with slow introduction
• Second "movement": scherzo in military style (begins at "Alla marcia", words "Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen"). Beethoven's older listeners at the premiere would have recognized this as so-called "Turkish music."
• Third "movement": slow meditation on the text "Seid umschlungen, Millionen!" (begins at "Andante maestoso")
• Fourth "movement": fugal finale on the themes of the first and third "movements" (begins at "Allegro energico")

The movement differs from an independent symphony because of its thematic unity: every part is based on either the main theme, the "Seid umschlungen" theme, or some combination of the two. Turkish music, in the sense described here, is not really music of Turkey, but rather a musical style that was occasionally used by the European composers of the Classical music era. ... This article is about tempo in music. ... In music, a fugue is a type of piece written in counterpoint for several independent musical voices. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ...

The first "movement within a movement" itself is organized into sections:

• An introduction, which starts with a stormy, chaotic Presto passage. It then briefly quotes all three of the previous movements in order, each dismissed in various ways by the cellos and basses, who play in imitation of vocal recitative. The introduction eventually "discovers" the famous theme, which then becomes the subject of
• A series of variations for orchestra alone.
• The introduction is then repeated from the Presto passage, this time with the bass soloist singing the recitatives previously played by cellos and basses, followed by
• The variations again, this time for vocal soloists and chorus.

In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, cantatas and similar works, is described as a melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... In music, variation is a formal technique where material is altered during repetition; reiteration with changes. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ...

Text of fourth movement

Words written by Beethoven, not Schiller, are shown in italics.

Trivia

Performing the symphony

Lasting about 75 minutes in performance, the Ninth was an exceptionally long symphony for its time, although it has been exceeded in length (and, arguably, conceptual scope) by several later symphonies, most notably those of Bruckner and Mahler. Mahler's 2nd, 3rd and 8th, inspired by Beethoven, are very similar in conception and style due to their "grand" demeanors and extensive use of large choral and vocal forces. Anton Bruckner Anton Bruckner (September 4, 1824 – October 11, 1896) was an Austrian composer. ... Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (July 7, 1860–May 18, 1911) was a Bohemian-Austrian composer and conductor. ...

Beethoven's Ninth makes extreme demands on the singers, partly because his vocal writing seems designed to evoke a sense of effort, and partly because concert pitch is higher now than it was in Beethoven’s day. Thus, it is fairly rare to find a performance that is suitably forceful but avoids any hint of shrieking or shouting. Specialists in authentic performance have experimented with performing the work at Beethoven’s concert pitch, which seems to help somewhat. In music, pitch is the perception of the frequency of a note. ... The authentic performance movement is an effort on the part of musicians and scholars to perform works of classical music in ways similar to how they were performed when they were originally written. ...

A delicate issue conductors must face is the fact that Beethoven left metronome markings specifying the tempo of each section. Historically, conductors have been very reluctant to respect these markings, preferring, for example, a slower tempo than Beethoven's for the slow movement and a faster tempo for the military march section of the finale. In general, Beethoven's metronome markings have proven unpopular among modern artists, and the possibility that Beethoven was (despite his unquestioned abilities as a composer) an inept metronome user should perhaps not be excluded. Conductors in the authentic performance movement, notably Roger Norrington, have experimented with adhering to Beethoven's tempos, to mixed reviews. A mechanical wind-up metronome in motion A metronome is a device that produces a strict rhythm. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... Sir Roger Arthur Carver Norrington (born March 16, 1934) is a British conductor best known for performances of Baroque, Classical and Romantic music using period instruments and period style. ...

Ninth Symphony in the 20th century

In 1964 Maurice Béjart and his Ballet du XXe siècle gave an acclaimed performance of "IXe symphonie", a ballet based on the Ninth Symphony. 1964 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Maurice Béjart (born January 1, 1927) is the French choreographer who runs the Béjart Ballet. ...

Herbert von Karajan's 1963 Deutsche Grammophon recording (DG #429036-2) of the symphony is widely regarded as the best; however, some critics prefer his less agressive 1976 version that is more technically correct. Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German record company. ... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The Ninth Symphony has frequently been incorporated into film scores, television, and popular music. For a list of instances, see Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in popular culture. The Ninth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven is perhaps the best known of all works of classical music. ...

At most Olympic games during the second half of the 20th Century, the fourth movement has been performed as part of ceremonial processions. For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

The symphony seems to have taken particularly deep root in Japan, where it is widely performed during December as part of the annual celebration of the new year.

An adapted form of Beethoven's setting of Schiller's ode was chosen to be the European anthem first by the Council of Europe and later by the European Union. The ode To Joy (Ode »An die Freude« in German) is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet and historian Friedrich Schiller, and known especially for its musical setting by Beethoven in the fourth and final movement of his Ninth Symphony, for four solo voices, chorus, and orchestra. ... The Palace of Europe in Strasbourg The Council of Europe is an international organisation of 46 member states in the European region. ...

Students in Beijing's Tiananmen Square protest broadcast the symphony through loudspeakers in 1989 as a statement against tyranny. A famous performance conducted by Leonard Bernstein on December 25, 1989 celebrated the fall of the Berlin Wall. It substituted Freiheit ("freedom") for Freude ("joy") in the sung text. Beijing   listen? (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Pei-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Peking) is the capital city of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Tiananmen Square (Simplified Chinese: 天安门广场; Traditional Chinese: 天安門廣場; pinyin: ) is a very large plaza near the center of Beijing, China, named for the Tiananmen (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace) which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bernstein with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, at 1974 Charles Ives Centenary Concert in Danbury, Connecticut. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Berlin Wall on November 16, 1989 The Berlin Wall (German: Berliner Mauer) was a long barrier separating West Berlin from East Berlin and the surrounding territory of East Germany. ...

It is widely believed that the characteristics of the Sony/Philips Compact Disc were influenced by a desire to accommodate performances of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on a single disc. This requirement is variously attributed to Herbert von Karajan (a Philips artist with access to Sony chairman Akio Morita), to Morita's wife, and to Sony president Norio Ohga. The urban legends investigators at snopes.com consider this to be "undecided." It does appear that at a late stage in development, the diameter of the CD was increased to 12 cm. to accommodate a playing time of 74 minutes. [1] Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ソニー) (TYO: 6758), (NYSE: SNE) is a global consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. ... Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Royal Dutch Philips Electronics Ltd. ... Interference colors. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... Missing image Akio Morita Akio Morita (盛田昭夫 Morita Akio, January 26, 1921 in Nagoya, Japan - October 3, 1999 in Tokyo) was a co-founder of Sony Corporation. ... Norio Ohga (otherwise spelt Norio Oga) (born January 29, 1930) is a Japanese electronics businessman who originally trained as an opera singer. ...

Media

	Ode to Joy ( info)
	The 4th movement's centerpiece is a vocal setting of the Ode to Joy.
	Problems listening to the file? See media help.

File links The following pages link to this file: Apollo 8 Accordion Antonio Vivaldi Aramaic language Symphony No. ... Ode to Joy. ...

External links

• The William and Gayle Cook Music Library at the Indiana University School of Music has posted the score for the symphony.
• Sound samples and other info from the Classical Music Pages
• Text/libretto, with translation, in English and German
• EU official page about the anthem
• Analysis of the Beethoven Symphony No. 9 on the All About Ludwig van Beethoven Page
• Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in popular culture