LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN:

SYMPHONY NO. 9 IN D MINOR, OP. 125:

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Writing about such a legendary composer and his extraordinary work makes one become

excited. Although I am only at the beginning of my journey, I will try to use my knowledge of

musical fundamentals to describe what I have learned so far about this piece of art.

COMPOSER OF THE WORK

Firstly, meet Ludwig van Beethoven, who was born in December 1770 in Bonn, Germany.

He was the most famous German composer and what is extremely rare and even some would say

“superhuman” is the fact that his greatest works were composed while he was going deaf. Like

other early age geniuses, young Ludwig became a victim of child abuse by his father who began

teaching him music with unbelievable brutality that affected him for the rest of his life.

THE WORK

The work that I will analyze in this short essay is the final complete symphony by Ludwig

van Beethoven, that was composed between 1822 and 1824. It was the first example of a major

composer using voices in a symphony. The text is from the “Ode of Joy” by Friedrich Schiller

with some additions written by Beethoven. He also changes the usual pattern of Classical

symphonies placing a fast-moving humorous movement before the slow movement.

each movement with other movements:

1. “Allegro ma non troppo, e un poco maestro” (D minor).

2. “Molto vivace - Presto” (D minor).

3. “Adagio molto e cantabile – Andante moderato – Tempo primo – Andante

moderato – Adagio – Lo stesso tempo”.

4. “Finale: An die Freude (Ode to Joy)”.

FIRST MOVEMENT

The movement is in d minor Simple Duple meter in Allegro tempo. Starting at the

beginning, Beethoven puts us into a pianissimo stream of sounds. Then suddenly, the music accent

and quickly became louder, stormy, frightening and exciting. The coda brings an entirely new

perspective to the expectations about the rest of the measurement that later would drive the

movement. At the section of the movement written in sonata form, the theme returns to fortissimo

in D-major to completely overturn the D-minor opening. The movement has ties and slurs, that

indicates a smooth transition between the notes with sudden spikes. The whole measurement lasts

15 minutes of shocking revelations to every listener conducting roller-coaster of emotions.

SECOND MOVEMENT

Molto vivace – Presto in d minor dive us in combination of Simple Triple-Quadruple

meters. Although the main piece is Simple Triple meter, when coupled with the tempo, makes it

sound as if it is in Simple Quadruple. This was an answer to the critics in some way, who had

criticized him for not adhering to standards because normally the scherzo is in Triple Meter. The
second part of the measurement is in C major. Getting closer to the end of the measurement we

meet with the scherzo for the second time, but it is slightly different than the first one because of

the absence of the repetition. The movement ends in an aggressive way, and the instrumentalists

stopped playing their instruments abruptly.

THIRD MOVEMENT

For the third movement maestro starts with nice and slow adagio tempo in B-flat major.

The first part is in Simple Quadruple meter, the last is in Compound Quadruple meter and they

separated by Moderato Simple Triple passages that in D major, G major, adagio E-flat major and

in B major. A noticeable thing about this movement is that it is very lyrical, has staccatos and

sforzandos too. The story that Beethoven was telling us in this sometimes pianissimo sometimes

forte measurement was touching and resonated in everyone forcing emotional memories to come

out.

FOURTH MOVEMENT

The final. “Symphony within the symphony” that is how the famous American pianist and

music scholar Charles Rosen has characterized it. That is in fact the most accurate representation

of the measurement except for one thing – human voice in it. The measurement is organized and

follows almost the same overall pattern as the previous three. Starting with d minor Presto Simple

Triple meter then Allegro Simple Quadruple meter. After a brief introduction, the main topic of

the measurement came up. The bold move by the maestro to use human voice for the first time in

the symphony by the baritone soloist in Presto Simple Triple meter. After that Scherzo in

Compound Duple meter. The echo of the third measurement in the Final one begins with G major
Adagio Simple Triple meter section followed by the fourth and final D major Simple Duple Allegro

theme with prestissimo ending that changing between chorus repeat’s part loudly and quietly.

To compare these four part it is required to delve into the connection between the author’s

state of mind and the piece that he created. The period was hard for the Beethoven as he was

overwhelmed with doubts about the finale of the symphony not to mention his afflictions that’ll

cause his death a few years after the 9th symphony premiere. Under great pressure, Maestro tried

to bring unity to all by the beauty and mysterious complexity of his creation. Consequently, the

part from the fourth measurement in Beethoven’s 9th symphony became the official anthem of the

European Union in 1985. In the measurements we can extract some information, but this

information will not be consistent due to the nature of the composer. He was a compositional rebel,

who rejected standard classical practices in order to write with emotion. But some differences and

similarities still possible to differentiate, for example:

The first measurement is consistent and has a relatively simple structure in comparison

with the other three. The second, third and fourth measurements gradually increasing in difficulty.

The parts become longer and filled with inconsistencies, accidentals, sforzando and tenuto with a

mixes of different meters and Keys within one measurement. Fourth is the hardest of all, it is the

complexity, longevity and inconsistency of all three measurements combined including the chorus

parts.

Without a doubt Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is deep, complex and consequently the most

famous piece of music in history.

1. https://saskatoonsymphony.org/breaking-down-beethoven-

9/#:~:text=First%20movement,the%20mood%20is%20often%20stormy.

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulation_(music)

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._9_(Beethoven)

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choir

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coda_(music)

6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonata_form

7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recapitulation_(music)

8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scherzo

9. https://baroque.boston/beethoven-symphony-no-

9?gclid=CjwKCAiAxP2eBhBiEiwA5puhNTLXk3noXFs7ZiKVQjWHeKGFfFU

783BF-vmSFrF_ktNrdIa1LhJjWxoC74sQAvD_BwE

10. https://www.essaytyping.com/concert-report-on-beethoven-9-chicago-symphony-

orchestra-riccardo-muti/

11. https://www.biography.com/musicians/ludwig-van-beethoven

12. https://www.charlottesymphony.org/blog/things-you-didn-39-know-about-

beethoven-39-symphony-no/