What is Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)?
[[File:Beethoven.jpg|thumb|280px|Ludwig van Beethoven was almost completely [[deaf]] when he wrote his ninth symphony.]] '''Symphony No. 9 in D minor''', [[opus|Op.]] 125, is a [[symphony]] written by [[Ludwig van Beethoven]]. It is one of the most famous pieces of music ever written. A [[symphony]] is a piece of music for [[orchestra]]. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies. This one, the last one he wrote, is very unusual because the last [[movement]] also has singing in it: there are four soloists ([[soprano]], [[alto]], [[tenor]] and [[bass (vocal range)|bass]]) and a [[choir]]. This is why it is known as the “choral” symphony (“choral” means: “for choir”). It is a very long work, lasting more than an hour. This, too, was unusual. This symphony has four movements. The first movement is in [[sonata form]]. The second and third movements come the other way round from the usual order: the second movement is the [[scherzo]] and the third movement is the slow movement. It is a [[theme and variations]]. The last movement sets the words of a [[poem]] by [[Friedrich Schiller]], a famous poet who had only recently died. The poem was called ''Ode an die Freude'' (in English: ''Ode to Joy''). The poem has a strong message to all mankind: it is about living in [[peace]] and [[harmony]] together. It was written at the time of the [[French Revolution]] when these ideas were becoming very important in [[Europe]]. The main tune of the last movement (sung to the words: “Freude, schöne Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium”) is one of the best known tunes in the world. Many children like to play it on instruments because the first part of the tune only uses five notes (it can be played on C, D, E, F, G). When the tune comes the first time in the symphony it is played by the [[cello]]s and [[double bass]]es. The ''Ode to Joy'' was adopted as Europe's “[[National anthem]]” in 1972, with an official arrangement for orchestra written by [[Herbert von Karajan]]. Beethoven had been interested in Schiller’s famous poem since he was young.