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Symphony No. 9, choral 'Hymn to Joy' in Dm, Opus
125
 Background
Beethoven is perhaps the composer that symbolizes more than any other
the spirit of personal freedom. He is the one who represents the composers'
independence, and after him comes the Romantic era, when composers will
be liberated from the church and different patrons, and live on their own,
for better or worse. He believed in the liberty the French Revolution expressed,
and his adoration of democracy was one the trademarks of the famous artist.
The story about erasing Napoleon's name from his 3rd Symphony ("Eroica")
is one example of his admiration for liberty and hatred of autocratic rule.
From his youth, Beethoven dreamed of composing Schiller's ode, and in his
last symphony, he took a bold decision - to introduce a finale for a choir
and solo singers. From drafts Beethoven made, it turns out that the 9th
Symphony is not about a single idea, as Beethoven often did, but built
around three separate plans, unified later by the composer into one symphony,
combined with his 30 year old idea - composing the ode by Schiller. Writing
this symphony took a long time, and it was only completed in the winter
of 1823.
About the piece
As usual, the symphony consists of four movements:
1st movement (allegro ma non tropo) - a mysterious
opening, strengthened in a gradual crescendo from pianissimo to fortissimo,
that leads to the first theme in D minor. Orchestration becomes vague again,
and then the theme repeats in G major with greater clarity, and switches
to the development, which adds a subsidiary theme and processing to the
different themes, and returns to the reprise, in which main themes will
be repeated.
2nd movement (molto vivace) - different from common
practice (this is one of the examples of Beethoven's courage), the scherzo
comes in the second movement. The theme develops in a rapid fugato (a fugue-like
beginning. In the transition section comes a peaceful part which will hint
at the ode to joy of the fourth movement.
3rd movement (adagio molto) - in this lyrical
movement in B flat major, appears a festive melody followed by a faster
section in D major. Repetitions and variations on the movement's themes
will later follow. And the end is disrupted by trumpet sounds.
4th movement (Allegro Assai) - A stormy movement,
which is not built as a perfect symphonic piece as in Beethoven's other
works, yet an exciting and exhilarating one, thanks to its content and
poetry. The brass and woodwinds open, followed by quotes of the previous
movements' themes; then - the theme melody of the ode to joy - first in
the cellos, doubled by the contrabassi, and later the violas join, the
violins and the woodwinds. Later on the hymn develops with a big choir
and four soloists and the entire movement closes in a rapid tempo.
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