Ode to Joy, also known as Ode an die Freude in German, is a poem written by German poet Schiller in 1785. Beethoven composed music for this purpose, which became the main part of the fourth movement of his ninth symphony, including four independent parts, chorus and orchestra.
Beethoven's music (excluding lyrics) has become the union song of the European Union and the national anthem of the European Council, and it has also been used as the melody of the national anthem "Raising the Voice of Rhodesia" of Rhodesia 1974- 1979.
Creation background
His works were composed between 18 19 and 1824, which is the highest peak and summary of Beethoven's whole music creation career. 1=F key, 4/4 beat. This is a huge variation, full of solemn religious color and grand momentum, and it is a model of cooperation between human voice and symphony orchestra. Through many variations on this theme, the music finally reached its climax and reached the peak of Beethoven's music creation. The duet and solo parts of the movement also give full play to the characteristics of each range of the four singers.
Schiller's Ode to Joy is famous for Beethoven's ninth (chorus) symphony. Beethoven had the idea of composing music for this long poem at the age of 22 (1792), but when he finished the ninth symphony at the age of 53 (1823), he only chose the first verse, the first half of the second quarter, the third quarter and the second half of the fourth quarter as the lyrics of the final movement.