All Together
Creating music together can be a tremendously joyful act, binding us together in times of celebration and times of hardship. When Beethoven incorporated Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” poem into his Ninth Symphony, it was a radical call for equality, freedom, and brotherhood. All Together: A Global Ode to Joy reimagines Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as a 21st century call for unity, justice, and empowerment.
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, visionary conductor Marin Alsop will lead performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony on five continents with nine renowned orchestras as part of a yearlong global project. Partners will reimagine the concert experience for their communities, incorporating newly created music alongside the music of Beethoven and artists from their region. As part of each performance, “Ode to Joy” will be translated into a local language.
The collection of questions and ideas outlined in this guide is intended to be used by educators and artists participating in the project to spark conversations with their students and communities. We hope they can serve as jumping-off points that inspire you to consider new ways of thinking about joy, and create music and art that expresses what joy looks like to you.
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
A Radical Work of Art
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony forever changed the character and direction of classical music. When it premiered in 1824, listeners were either awed or appalled, and battle lines were quickly drawn. Was this a visionary masterpiece, or the final cacophony of an eccentric man who was going deaf? The integration into the symphony of a chorus, vocal soloists, and excerpts from Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” poem were startling innovations. Additional elements of the work—including its structure, sensibility, emotional range, harmonic experimentation, and sheer size—were also new.
The Premiere
Beethoven was almost entirely deaf when he was billed as the conductor for the Ninth Symphony’s Vienna premiere. Although he appeared onstage and beat time as he turned the pages of his score, the orchestra was really conducted by the concertmaster, who instructed the musicians to disregard anything Beethoven told them to do.
“After assisting the conductor at the Vienna premiere, Beethoven had to be turned around by the soprano soloist to acknowledge applause that became suddenly subdued as the audience was confronted firsthand with his deafness—an apt and awesome final curtain for an artist who more than any other relied on his inner ear.“ —Jack Sullivan
Watch
As you explore the history of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, we encourage you to watch a series of videos that features Beethoven’s music with commentary by Marin Alsop.
The Words of “Ode to Joy”
Text
O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen
und freudenvollere!
Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
Was die Mode streng geteilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.
Translation
Oh friends, no more of these sounds!
Let us sing more cheerful
songs,
more full of joy!
Joy, bright spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,*
Fire-inspired* we tread
Thy sanctuary!
Thy magic power reunites
All that custom* has divided;
All men become brothers
Under the sway of thy gentle wings.*
*“Elysium” is an ancient Greek idea of a glorious place where people go after they die.
*“Fire-inspired” is a boastful way to say “bold and courageous.”
*“Custom” refers to the feuds and conflicts of history.
*“Thy gentle wings” is a metaphor for the soaring feeling of joy.
Create
Draw a visual representation of your idea of joy. What colors, shapes, or images will you include? Why?
Write a song with music and lyrics that express your connection to joy.
Work with your friends or family to find activities that you can do together to create feelings of joy.