Ode to Joy

"To Joy" ( »An die Freude« in German, in English often familiarly called the Ode to Joy rather than To Joy) is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet and historian Friedrich Schiller, and known especially for its musical setting by Beethoven in the fourth and final movement of his Ninth Symphony, for four solo voices, chorus, and orchestra.

Related Topics:
German - Ode - 1785 - Friedrich Schiller - Beethoven - Ninth Symphony

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The Ode to Joy was adopted as Europe's anthem by the Council of Europe in 1972, with an official arrangement for orchestra written by Herbert von Karajan.

Related Topics:
Europe's anthem - Council of Europe - 1972 - Herbert von Karajan

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In 2003, the European Union chose Beethoven's music for the poem as the EU anthem, without German lyrics, because of the many different languages used within the European Union. Therefore, the EU anthem is in effect the Beethoven theme (or melody) rather than Schiller's poem, although its connection with the ideal of human brotherhood in the text is understood. This ideal is stated in much more universal terms in Beethoven's adaptation ("All men become brothers") than in Schiller's original, which states that "beggars become the brothers of princes."

Related Topics:
2003 - European Union - Melody

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Beethoven's theme is also the setting for the Christian hymn, Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (or Hymn to Joy), a poem written in 1908 by Henry van Dyke (1852-1933).

Related Topics:
Christian - Hymn - 1908 - Henry van Dyke

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Ode to Joy, with its German lyrics, was featured prominently in the 1971 film and 1962 book A Clockwork Orange.

Related Topics:
1971 - 1962 - A Clockwork Orange

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Less famous musical settings of the poem were written by Franz Schubert (for voice and piano, 1815) and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (for solo singers, choir and orchestra in a Russian translation, 1865). Bright Eyes used the music from Ode to Joy on his song Road to Joy from the album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.

Related Topics:
Franz Schubert - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

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