Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)
| Symphony No. 9 | |
|---|---|
| Choral symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven | |
19th-century lithograph by Carl Offterdinger, depicting the premiere of the 9th Symphony. Beethoven stands in the center. | |
| Key | D minor |
| Opus | 125 |
| Period | Classical-Romantic (transitional) |
| Text | Friedrich Schiller's "Ode to Joy" |
| Language | German |
| Composed | 1822–1824 |
| Dedication | King Frederick William III of Prussia |
| Duration | 65 to 70 minutes |
| Movements | Four |
| Scoring | Orchestra with SATB chorus and soloists |
| Premiere | |
| Date | 7 May 1824 |
| Location | Theater am Kärntnertor, Vienna, Austrian Empire |
| Conductor | Michael Umlauf and Ludwig van Beethoven |
| Performers | Kärntnertor house orchestra, Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde with soloists: Henriette Sontag (soprano), Caroline Unger (alto), Anton Haizinger (tenor), and Joseph Seipelt (bass) |
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is a choral symphony, the final complete symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, composed between 1822 and 1824. It was first performed in Vienna on 7 May 1824. The symphony is regarded by many critics and musicologists as a masterpiece of Western classical music and one of the supreme achievements in the history of music.[1][2] One of the best-known works in common practice music,[1] it stands as one of the most frequently performed symphonies in the world.[3][4]
The Ninth was the first example of a major composer scoring vocal parts in a symphony.[5] The final (4th) movement of the symphony, commonly known as the Ode to Joy, features four vocal soloists and a chorus in the parallel key of D major. The text was adapted from the "An die Freude (Ode to Joy)", a poem written by Friedrich Schiller in 1785 and revised in 1803, with additional text written by Beethoven. In the 20th century, an instrumental arrangement of the chorus was adopted by the Council of Europe, and later the European Union, as the Anthem of Europe.[6]
In 2001, Beethoven's original, hand-written manuscript of the score, held by the Berlin State Library, was added by UNESCO to its Memory of the World International Register, becoming the first musical score so designated.[7]
- ^ a b Cook 1993, Product description (blurb). "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is acknowledged as one of the supreme masterpieces of the Western tradition. More than any other musical work it has become an international symbol of unity and affirmation."
- ^ Service, Tom (9 September 2014). "Symphony guide: Beethoven's Ninth ('Choral')". The Guardian.
the central artwork of Western music, the symphony to end all symphonies
- ^ Glickman, Ken (2 November 2016). "Lansing Symphony Orchestra to perform joyful Beethoven's 9th". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
- ^ "Beethoven's Ninth: 'Ode to Joy'" Archived 1 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Great Falls Symphony, 2017/18 announcement
- ^ Bonds, Mark Evan, "Symphony: II. The 19th century", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed. (London: Macmillan, 2001), 29 vols. ISBN 0-333-60800-3, 24:837.
- ^ "European Anthem". Europa. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ "Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No 9, D minor, Op. 125". UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. Retrieved 15 August 2025.