A symphony denouement unique in the history of music
Very few people do not know the tune of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". Of the millions who know it, many will be aware that it belongs to the fourth movement and finale of his Ninth Symphony, also called Choral Symphony, since it incorporates solo voices and chorus in that movement.
But such a novel ending was not clear at first.
Recent research suggests that Beethoven had misgivings about undertaking such a grandiose project. While working on the symphony's finale, he considered the alternative of incorporating a purely instrumental finale, eliminating such an innovative closure. Doubts continued and he spoke of removing solo singing and chorus on more than one occasion.
In the end, he did not do so, which shows the immense ambition with which the maestro undertook the construction of such a portentous score.
Schiller's poem
From a very young age, Beethoven was captivated by the grandiose exaltation of the brotherhood of man present in the lines of Schiller's poem, An die Freude (To Joy). As early as 1793 he thought he had to incorporate it into his music, "verse by verse". And Schiller's ode became an obsession. Year after year, sketch after sketch, the celebrated melody of the Ninth Symphony was meticulously elaborated until it found its final form only in 1822, with selected texts from Schiller's works and some introductory words by Beethoven.
The Symphony
The symphony itself, whose full title is "Symphony, with a final chorus on Schiller's Ode to Joy", was written over six years, from 1817 to 1823. Its composition was commissioned by the Philharmonic Society of London.
Dedicated to none other than King Frederick William III of Prussia, it had a grand premiere on May 7, 1824, in Vienna. It was the maestro's first public appearance in twelve years.
That evening
By this time, Beethoven's progressive deafness had reached a stage that made it impossible for him to conduct. That evening, however, he did something similar, standing close to the conductor during the performance to indicate the correct tempi.
The fourth movement arrived, and the soloists and chorus intoned the ode. The music came to an end. The applause was thunderous, but Beethoven, with his back to the audience, continued to set the tempo until one of the soloists, the contralto, signaled him to turn in the direction of the audience. Only then did the maestro realize that the work was over and that the Viennese audience was applauding wildly.
Marked Presto; Allegro assai, the fourth movement is in the form of a theme and variations, with two themes plus an introduction.
Musical material from each of the previous three movements – though none is a literal quotation – is presented in turn. These give way to instrumental passages by the low strings. After this, the theme "Ode to Joy" is introduced by the cellos and double basses. After three instrumental variations on this theme, the human voice is introduced for the first time by the baritone, who sings words written by Beethoven himself: "O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!" Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen, und freudenvollere. '' ("O friends, not these sounds! Instead, let us look for more pleasant and more joyful ones!").
The ode is played, first by the orchestra, then by the choir. Cellos, flutes, and oboes set the mood, and male and female voices alternate declaiming the Ode to Joy, accompanied by the full orchestra.
The symphony advances and rises above itself, as the choruses reach thunderous levels. A double fugue provides the leisurely counterpoint that leads to the swift and prolonged final chant, a symphony denouement unique in the history of music.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and the National US Choir, conducted by maestro Daniel Barenboim, give this magnificent performance.
