Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, on December 16, 1770, to a grandfather who was a court singer and music leader at the Electoral Court of Cologne, and a father who was also an Electoral Court singer. Beethoven's father desperately
wanted to raise him to be a Mozartian prodigy, so he forced him to study the violin and piano at the age of four and to perform publicly at the age of eight. Under the tutelage of organist C.G. Nefer
Beethoven began to study the works of Bach and other German masters, which led him to a true understanding of German folk music, which gradually developed into his own style.
After the death of his loving mother in 1787, Beethoven entered the household of the prestigious Mrs. F.V. Browning in Bonn as a music teacher. There he became acquainted with many progressive and learned
professors, literary artists, and enlightened members of the government. They talked about art, philosophy, and politics, and the young Beethoven began to be influenced by progressive thinking, and was
starting to develop a view of art as a service to goodness, justice, and humanism. At the age of nineteen, he was allowed to attend the University of Bonn, where he studied Kant's philosophical treatises and ancient Greek literature, and was exposed to the Enlightenment ideas of the French bourgeois revolution, which had a great impact on his world view and artistic outlook. 1792, Beethoven left his hometown and settled in Vienna, where he studied composition with Haydn. 1795 saw the beginning of his publications. In 1800, Beethoven composed his First Symphony,
which was one of Beethoven's idiomatic works and the most classical of his nine symphonies. 1802, Beethoven composed his Second Symphony, and from this symphony, we can see that Beethoven was trying to form a creative tendency that combined his own creations with the pursuit of his lofty ideals. The symphony is a great example of a symphony that was written by Beethoven.
The completion of the Third Symphony (Hero) marked a new stage in Beethoven's creative work, which was composed in 1804, free from the influence of Haydn and Mozart
and was a great leap forward in both thought and art. This work draws on the tone of French revolutionary music, which blends with the feelings of the revolutionary era, and lays the foundation for Beethoven's heroic, mass style of music creation and the basic idea of "victory through struggle".
This work is a new stage in Beethoven's musical career.
Between 1802 and 1815, although Beethoven suffered from a variety of mental blows, including ear disease, he still composed a large number of musical works: Symphony No. 3 to Symphony No. 8
Symphonies, Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto, Overture, Sonata and so on, which had a profound impact on the development of the future of European music.
After 1815, Beethoven became completely deaf, and he became withdrawn and irritable, but he did not lose his confidence, and his music at this time took on a thoughtful nature.
The completion of the Ninth Symphony marked a new peak in Beethoven's creativity, showing that Beethoven's artistic thinking was more profound, more detailed and more mature.
This work embodies Beethoven's ideals of "liberty, equality and fraternity" and "the people of the world embrace in unity, like brothers, and only through hard struggle can they obtain
true joy".
On March 26, 1827, Beethoven died in Vienna. On the day of his burial, all schools were closed in mourning, 20,000 people attended the funeral, and his tombstone was inscribed with an inscription by the Austrian
Poet Grier Bartsch: "...... When you stand before his coffin, it is not disillusionment that envelops you, but a sublime feeling; We
Only to a man like him can we say: he has accomplished great things ......"
Beethoven's music, which occupies a special place is his symphonies. From these symphonies, we can understand the symphony from Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven transition to
Schubert, Mendelssohn's development of the various periods of the overview, but also to understand the basic thinking and spirit of Beethoven's creation. Beethoven's symphonies, comprehensively inherited
German music's excellent tradition, absorbing the various achievements of the music of the French Revolution and rich in heroic tones, so his music has a distinctive sense of the times, at the same
time, he drew on the essence of German and Austrian national music, and his works have a more pronounced national character.
Beethoven's symphonies are centered on the heroes of the revolutionary struggle, and he puts the theme of the heroes in the first place in the creation of his symphonies. From Beethoven's Symphony No.3
, Symphony No.5, Symphony No.6, Symphony No.7, Symphony No.9, we can see that these works depict the hero's activities and thoughts, the hero's revolutionary struggles, the hero's struggle with the revolution, the hero's struggles with the nature, the hero's struggles with the people, the hero's struggles with the victories, the hero's struggles with the inner world of the hero and so on from all different aspects.
These heroic tones shape the hero in the midst of the people and show them fighting, even sacrificing themselves, for the realization of a just cause, until the struggle is won
over.
Beethoven's symphonies are mostly composed in the form of expanded sonatas, and his creations are broad and grandiose in conception, deep in thought, contrasting and rich in image, and in the treatment of the form
have achieved a high degree of unity of the work as a whole, and in the creation of the original symphony, the third movement of the Minuet was changed to a harmonic, and the opera was changed to a dramatic conflict of triumph through struggle, which was a great success in the world
. In the symphony, he changed the third movement of the original symphony, the minuet, into a harmonic piece, and applied the dramatic expression of the conflict in the opera to the symphony, in which the conflict is won through the struggle, and he even added a chorus in the Ninth Symphony, which enlarged the performance ability and the atmosphere of the symphony. In addition, in the composition of symphonies, Beethoven made bold innovations in orchestration, established the position of clarinet in the orchestra, used four trombones in the Ninth Symphony and so on, which formed a novel style and started a new field, fully expressing his inner
world with this innovative form of music, reflecting the progressive thinking of the society at that time, and developing European classical music to a new level. European classical school of music to the highest peak, creating the 19th century European Romantic music of the precedent.
An Appreciation of Beethoven's Works
1. Symphony No. 5 in C minor (Destiny) (op. 67)
The Fifth Symphony is one of the most philosophical and dramatic works in Beethoven's symphonies. As early as 1804 when the Third Symphony came out of the draft, Beethoven
had already conceived of the composition, only that he had changed his plan to complete the Fourth Symphony first. The Fifth Symphony was published in 1807, and the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies were performed for the first time on December 22, 1808, at the Royal Theater in Vienna, conducted by Beethoven.
The Fifth Symphony is a heroic, epic work after the Third Symphony. Beethoven called the theme of the first movement "Fate is knocking at the door", hence the name "Fate Symphony". The theme of "fate" refers to the suffocating feudal society of Germany at the time, and Beethoven's revelation of "victory through struggle" refers to the transition from darkness to light, from struggling with the bitter "fate" to struggling with feudalism and fighting against the "fate" of the world. " struggle and struggle against feudal forces, rising to joy and victory.
The Fifth Symphony is a representative work of Beethoven's artistic style, with its rigorous and complete structure, concise and lucid technique, compact and balanced development, and fresh
bright and vivid thematic images. As a heroic symphony, its conflicts, emotional antagonisms and tense dramaturgy are more concentrated, more unified and more acute than in previous works
. The close inner connection between the movements makes the whole piece emotionally charged and has strong artistic infectivity. This majestic spirit of unity represents Beethoven's artistic
style. Someone once said, "Beethoven is in this symphony to become a giant."
The Fifth Symphony*** is divided into four movements.
The first movement A passionate Allegro, in 2/4 time and sonata form.
This movement presents a scene of struggle, and the music symbolizes the power of the people as a torrent that pushes against the forces of darkness with overwhelming force.
The four powerful, dynamic tones at the beginning of the piece, which Beethoven called the "fateful" knock, are the main theme.
This theme is the musical image of forward motion, which drives the piece forward and continues to appear and develop in subsequent movements.
This theme is a powerful theme, with
a kind of courageous, indomitable momentum, showing the thrilling scenes of the struggle, expressed Beethoven's heart full of indignation and challenge to the feudal forces of the strong intention
.
After the various instruments have imitated each other in turn, creating one tense wave after another, the horn plays a variant of the fateful motive, which expresses a kind of confidence in victory.
This is the first time that Beethoven has played this piece.
This is a linking phrase, which leads from the preceding tense, majestic musical scene to the richly sung second theme, which is a lyrical melody with a gentle, beautiful,
bright tone that contrasts with the preceding one, and which expresses the emotions of the people's longing for, and pursuit of, a happy life.
Here, the grim fate motif recedes into the bass voice and appears as an accompaniment, giving the gentle music an uneasy undertone that drives the music on. The piece
finally ends with a decisive, fervent acoustic in a bright atmosphere.
After an expressive two-bar pause, the music returns to an uneasy tone as the fateful motif emerges into the development section, and the hard and fierce struggle begins once again
. At this point the first theme is very active, it is endlessly repeated, the tonality is constantly shifting, the intensity is constantly increasing, and then there is a sharp and powerful horn-like second theme
. These two themes are developed alternately with various techniques, such as contrasting polyphony, frequent transpositions, etc., which add to the instability of the music and make it more
rich. Finally, the fateful motif breaks in again and is repeated over and over again in the strongest possible sound, creating a dramatic climax to the development section, and the music moves directly into the reproduction section.
In the recapitulation section, scenes of struggle of the kind in the presentation section reappear. Between the first theme and the linking section, the development of the first theme
is suddenly interrupted by a slow, wailing tone from the oboe. However, the agitation returns immediately, and is only slightly calmed when the second theme appears. The struggle between light and darkness does not
end, however, and grows more intense in the massive coda. At this point, the music develops sharply, with stark contrasts of intensity and tense harmonic development, forming the climax of the full movement
. At the end of the movement, the strong sound of the motif of the first theme further portrays the heroic character of the courageous, showing the strong confidence of the people that they will definitely overcome the forces of darkness
.
The second movement: ba minor, a slightly faster march, 3/8 time, double theme variations. This is a beautiful lyrical poem, grand and brilliant, contrasting
with the first movement. It embodies the emotional world of the people, where post-battle meditation and longing for better ideals are intertwined and finally transformed into firm resolve.
The piece begins with a first theme for viola and cello, accompanied by pizzicato strings on the bass, which is deep, peaceful and beautiful, and contains deep power and a longing for a better
life.
The clarinets and tubas followed with a second theme with a battle cry.
This theme is close in tone to the first theme and has tonal connections to songs from the French Revolution. It is a heroic theme in the style of a march, which is at first lyrical
and contemplative, and then, after moving to C major and being played strongly by the full orchestra, it becomes a majestic triumphal march, full of fiery vigor, inspiring the people to go on forever.
The subsequent development of the music is an alternation of these two themes in six different variations. In these six variations, Beethoven uses different rhythmic patterns, tonal shifts, and instrumental changes
to show the hero's contemplation after a fierce struggle and his firm belief in overcoming darkness, as well as his energized passion. The first variation, for example, makes the music undulating and agitated with the first theme
with its continuous sixteenth notes.
The second variation, with its succession of thirty-two notes, enhances the dynamism and shows the hero's firm belief in overcoming the darkness.
The last variation, like a hero's triumphal song, is characterized by heroic grandeur and optimism, and the coda to this movement, which briefly unfolds the first theme, expresses
the strength gained from deep thought and the confidence in future triumphs.
Third movement: C minor, Allegro, 3/4 time, harmonic. Written in compound triadic form, this movement returns, tonally, to a mood of turmoil, as if the grueling
struggle were still going on, and it serves as a transition and transformation leading to the fourth movement. The main section consists of two contrasting themes, the first of which has two elements: the first is played by
cellos and double basses in a sharp upward melody, with a forward thrust, but with some hesitation.
The other element is the responsorial phrase at the base of this, consisting of a series of chords that are subdued, restrained, and again revealing restlessness.
After this theme has been stated twice, the horns play a new, very active, horn-like theme, with a familiar rhythm that confirms at once that the theme of the first movement
has appeared here in a different guise, majestic, robust, and with the character of a march.
Two themes of different temperaments, sharply opposed to each other, appear in turn as scenes of turmoil and hard struggle, and each time they appear more and more acute and complex,
with dramatic effect.
The middle section, with a fervent German-Austrian folk dance as its central theme, shifts from C minor to the bright key of C major, and the music employs the contrasting techniques of polyphonic fugue and dominant harmony, with a passionate and optimistic mood
first played by the cello and the double bass, which contrasts with the preceding music, with a kind of unstoppable power that creates a rising wind and clouds, and which expresses the waves of people's power over and over again
the power of the people. The people's power is growing in waves and the belief in victory is getting stronger and stronger.
The third part is the dynamic reproduction part. Both themes of the first part are played in weak tones for reproduction and development. The basic motivic rhythmic pattern of timpani strikes foreshadows the continuation of the conflict, which is building up in preparation for the final push. Then the first theme emerges softly as the music stretches freely upward, the orchestra's range expanding
increasingly, the intensity going from weak to strong, the tonal colors going from dark to bright, gradually developing into an unstoppable force, with loud chordal tones leading into the glorious final movement.
Fourth movement: Allegro 4/4 time, sonata form. The grand scale of the fourth movement is full of light and overwhelming joy, a rapturous scene of cheering victory. The movement presents
The main theme of the section consists of two parts, the first of which begins with a majestic triumphal march, with powerful chords and a positive melody, played strongly by the full orchestra.
The second part of the music is consistent with the mood of the previous part, played by the horn and woodwinds, the tone is bright and soft, the rhythm of the march, the mood is joyful and rich in singing.
The secondary theme is played by the strings and is built in the key of G major. It is a joyful dance with a triplet rhythm, relaxed and with ups and downs.
A new melody linked to the presentation section appears in the closing section of the presentation section.
The unfolding section is based on the wide-ranging and vibrant development of the second theme, with ever-higher music, like a boundless crowd, merging into a sea of joy. Toward the climax, the "destiny" pattern interjects, but it is no longer strong and forceful, but rather a reminder of past struggles, echoing the first movement. The recapitulation is essentially a repetition of the presentation, with a slight addition of new forces.
This new theme flows like a huge wave from the heart of the hero, confident, bold and courageous. The huge finale resounds with a glorious triumphal march in C major,
which has a mountainous momentum and expresses the immense joy of the people who, after their struggles, have finally won the victory.
The Fifth Symphony is one of the most representative works in Beethoven's symphonic composition, Engels said: "If you have not heard this magnificent work, then
you can say that you have not heard anything in your life."
2. Symphony No. 6 in F major (Field) (op. 68)
Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 was composed in 1807-1808, premiered in Vienna on Dec. 22, 1808, at the same time as Symphony No. 5, and published in 1809. Title
Symphonies of a sexual nature are characteristic of Beethoven's compositions, and his Third and Fifth Symphonies are all title symphonies, with the most prominent being the Sixth Symphony (Idylls). Beethoven added sub-titles to each
movement, and also noted on the title page of the general score: "Primarily an expression of feeling, not a sound picture." This is particularly important to one's understanding of the work.
Beethoven loved nature, and it was an important part of his life.
Between 1802 and 1808, Beethoven, who suffered from a serious ear disease, used to live in seclusion in the suburbs of Vienna
. He sometimes lay on the grass in the forest, sometimes strolled beside the murmuring brook, contemplated the essence of all life, and scrutinized the mysteries of nature. From his hometown on the Rhine River to the outskirts of Vienna, Beethoven was inspired by nature to create his own works, and gained a sense of comfort.
The Sixth Symphony is to reflect the lofty spiritual world of man and the greatness of nature and life through the depiction of nature and rural life.
This symphony **** five movements, the last three of which are played without interruption.
The first movement: "A Pleasant Mood When First Arriving in the Countryside", not overly fast, sonata style. The music throughout the movement is pleasant, bright, simple and harmonious. The movement opens
begins with the main theme played by the violin, which is full of vitality and energy, and the strong countryside flavor immerses one in the spring wilderness, and the gentle singing renders
infinite joy.
After the main theme is the connecting part of the presentation, a continuous triplet pattern played by the winds, which is played in a light and weak manner, like the sound of running water in a brook, giving people a refreshing
feeling.
The sub-theme is a continuation of the main theme image, which is built on the key of C major, making people feel more fresh and joyful. The melody is smooth, serene and full of harmony between man and nature
.
Then comes the second part of the sub-theme played successively by strings and woodwinds, as if a question and a reply, forming a picture of natural harmony.
In the unfolding section, Beethoven used only a few patterns from the main theme as material for development, and with exquisite skill, he creatively used tonal color and strength
contrast and other techniques to depict a vast, boundless, full of life in the fields, swirling with the joy of rural life.
The recapitulation is not much different from the presentation, but the use of woodwind instruments is more skillful, adding to the idyllic flavor.
The coda enhances the mood by making the second half of the closing theme a triplet progression.
The second movement, "Scene by the Stream," is a slightly faster movement in sonata form. The strings play a slightly undulating babbling water pattern at the beginning of the presentation section. Against this backdrop, the first violin plays a soft, melodic main theme.
The secondary theme was first played by the tubas, then joined by the violas and cellos. This smooth theme is like the sound of a shepherd's flute and the singing of the townspeople in the beauty of the stream, showing
a fresh and lyrical atmosphere.
The development section begins with a strong dissonant chord, focusing on the development of the main theme, with changes in tonality and colors of the various instruments, allowing the main material to be fully
expanded.
The main theme in the recapitulation section is enlivened by the addition of broken chords from the tuba and clarinet and triplets from the oboe, depicting the gurgling water more vividly.
The famous coda, in which Beethoven imitates the "nightingale" on the flute, the "quail" on the oboe and the "cuckoo" on the clarinet, paints a picture of a sunny day and a sunny night.
The sunshine, the birds and flowers, and the poetry of the music are all very touching.
The third movement: "The Joyous Gathering of the Villagers", Allegro, Harmonica. The music in this movement is joyful and danceable, and expresses a vivid image of a customary townspeople's gathering
Joyful scene. The first part begins with a three-measure dance piece in a brisk, rapid-fire tune.
This theme is developed repeatedly and with increasing intensity, and after a strong full cadenza, the oboe plays a pastoral, beautifully songful and life-like second part of the theme.
The simple tones of the tubas accompany this melody as if it were a country folk band playing, and one of the old country farmers, with his old bagpipes, also came to help
But he could only play Fa, Do, Fa, and he had to stop when the orchestra switched to a different key, and then he rang again when the orchestra switched back to the original key. The middle section of the movement is a two-beat
dance of Austrian origin, which is rough and lively, with a strong rustic flavor, as if the arrival of peasants in wooden shoes.
The third part is a reprise of the first, with the music returning to the three-beat dance music, but more lively, enthusiastic and boisterous than before. When the dance is at its most enthusiastic, suddenly
thunder rumbles in the distance, the ecstatic assembly is interrupted, the people disperse, and the fourth movement ensues.
The fourth movement: "The Tempest," Allegro, free form. In this movement, Beethoven uses dissonant chords, frequent modulations, colorful orchestration, and figurative melody
to create a vivid scene of thunder and lightning, rain and wind. The rapid bowing of the strings is like the roaring of a gale with raindrops, the chaotic wailing of the bass is like the dark clouds covering the earth, and the shrill wail of the piccolo adds to the horror of the atmosphere, a horrifying storm has arrived. Then a chromatic scale with dissonant chords bursts out from the highest point, and the trombones and timpani thunder in a powerful explosion of sound, showing the great power of nature.
The music then calms down as a storm passes. The woodwinds played a gentle melody, like the sound of a lilting pastoral flute again in the distance.
Movement 5: "Pastoral, a mood of joy and gratitude after the storm", scherzo rondo. This movement follows the fourth movement in succession. After the rain, the earth
restored tranquility, the sky set up a rainbow, everywhere is a fresh scenery, birds singing in the branches, the shepherd played the melodious pastoral flute again. The oboe and flute set off
a pastoral introduction played by the clarinet and horn.
After this pastoral introduction, the first violin plays the main theme, a melody in the style of an Alpine pastoral, which expresses the happy, joyful life of the townspeople and their hopes for a better future.
This theme, after two simple variations, leads to the theme of the first interlude.
This cheerful thematic motif forms an unfolding passage that quickly returns to the main theme. The second interlude is played by clarinet and tuba.
The dancing of the townspeople grows in fervor and intensity, like a festive celebration. The third appearance of the main theme is very smooth and fully expresses the joyful mood of the townspeople. Then
after a slightly more exciting first interlude and then back to the end of the main theme.
The coda of this movement is 100 bars long and quite independent, it further repeats, changes and develops the main theme, and expresses the people's happy heart after the storm and their longing for a happy life in a very real and moving way.
3. Symphony No. 9 in D minor (Chorale) Fourth movement (op. 125)
Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 was conceived in 1814, completed in 1823, and premiered in Vienna on May 7, 1824, a period of ten years. This work is
Beethoven's summary of the achievements of musical art creation, it is a concentrated reflection of Beethoven's state of mind, passion for life and artistic attainments, is his artistic creation in the forefront of the
position of the work. As Wagner said, "The Ninth Symphony is Beethoven's crowning work." This four-movement work develops from a tragic struggle scene through cumulative
extreme action and philosophical meditative reflection into a joyful ode to the triumph of all mankind, embodying Beethoven's lofty ideals of freedom and joy through struggle.
Writing Schiller's poem "Ode to Joy" into a symphony with human voices to express the ideals of peace, liberty, equality and fraternity for mankind was one of Beethoven's great life-long wishes. In order to
realize this grand idea, after a long time of brewing, he finally creatively wrote the "Ode to Joy" in the form of chorus into the fourth movement of the Ninth Symphony
. This is the most brilliant part of the symphony and the pinnacle of Beethoven's symphonic development.
The fourth movement: (Chorale), a mixed free form of sharps, variations and ritornello. After the first three movements, we enter the fourth movement of the sharp movement ---- People have experienced
hard struggle and deep reflection, the expected joy is about to come.
This movement can be divided into two main parts: the first is the instrumental part, including the prelude, the declamatory tone, the recollection of the previous three movements and the emergence of the theme of joy; the second is the vocal part
Part is a cycloramic variations written with a huge chorus of human voices. This movement is the conclusion of the whole symphony, that is, the first three movements are "seeking freedom and joy through struggle and contemplation", and this movement is the conclusion that "the struggle has triumphed, and the joy has overcome the suffering", and this conclusion is also the conclusion of the author's life. The author's life is summarized.
The central idea of the movement is "hundreds of millions of people united".
The movement begins with a stormy blast of horns, which is the introduction, loud and majestic, like a tidal wave of fury, which Wagner called "the horror of the horns".
But it is immediately dismissed by the declamatory tones of the cellos and basses: "No, it reminds us of past sufferings; this is a day of triumph, and it should be celebrated with song and dance. Originally, Beethoven's idea was to add vocals where this declamatory section is concerned, but then he felt it wasn't the right time, so he pushed the sung section back.
But these sung phrases that remain from the original manuscript help us understand Beethoven's conception.
Then, one by one, the themes of the previous three movements reappeared, beaten up one by one by a section of declamation. After the first movement's introductory theme appears, the basses reply:
"Oh no, not this one, I want something more pleasant"; then the winds play the second movement's harmonic theme, which is immediately rejected again:
"Not this one either, it's only
a parody, want something better, nobler"; so the winds played the slow theme of the third movement, and the reply was still unsatisfactory: "This is the same as always, too delicate,
something powerful must be found. I think it would be better for me to sing it to you. But to ask you to respond to me." At last, the woodwinds vaguely flashed a fragment of the theme from the "Ode to Joy
before finally affirming, "That's it, at last," the state Beethoven had spent his life seeking. At this point, from the depths of the orchestra, as if from
a distance, slowly came a pure melody from the cellos and basses, and the main part of the movement began.
This is the full presentation of the Ode to Joy theme, first shown unaccompanied, then gradually joined by violas and violins. This theme of joy is repeated again and again,
and the sound gradually builds in intensity and power until it develops into a crescendo for the full orchestra. Suddenly, the "horrible horn" intrudes, and it is answered by the human voice. First the solo baritone opened the vocal program, singing the words of Beethoven's own declamation: "Ah, my friend, don't play the same old tune, but let us
sing something more melodious and joyful!" This was followed by a baritone solo, "Ode to Joy".
In the later development, the verses of Schiller's "Ode to Joy" were sung in solo, repetitive and choral forms, with the musical theme changing image each time it appeared,
in the style of a mighty march, in a bold warlike tenor solo, and in the solemn, solemn melody of a sacred chant ...... Then, moving into a fast march, this is a lively and enthusiastic march evolving from the
joyful theme. The increasingly enthusiastic march brings the piece to another climax. A huge duo choral
fugue follows, with interludes on the theme of "Hundreds of millions of people united".
This theme is first played by the trombones, followed by a chorus, and then a duo fugue with the theme of joy. The movement ends with a strong, jubilant coda, bringing the movement to a climax
The whole piece.
Ode to Joy
Poem by Schiller Translated by Deng Yingyi
Ah! My friend, we don't want that sound.
Sing, let us sing more cheerfully,
more joyfully.
Joy, joy,
Goddess of joy, holy and beautiful,
Splendid light upon the earth.
We come to your sanctuary with zeal in our hearts;
Your power makes people remove all differences.
Beneath your light,
Men are united as brothers.
Who can be a faithful friend and
offer noble friendship.
Whoever is blessed with love,
Come and rejoice with all!
Sincerely and sincerely, honoring each other and loving each other,
To `find a confidant,
If this heart is not used,
It can only be left to weep.
On this beautiful earth all beings are happy,
All men, good and bad, are blessed by nature,
It gives us the wine of love,
The best of friends who live and die together!
It gives joy to all,
Angels sing with us.
Joy, like the sun,
runs through the sky,
Joy, like the sun,
runs through the magnificent sky,
Friends, go forth with courage!
Forward like a hero on the battlefield,
Friends, forward on the battlefield,
Forward with joy,
As a hero on the battlefield.
Goddess of Joy,
Saintly and beautiful,
Splendidly shining on the earth,
We are full of enthusiasm in our hearts,
Coming to your sanctuary,
Your power can make people overcome all differences,
Below your light people are united as brothers.
Billions of people are united,
and we love each other,
friends!
In that hall the loving God looks down on us,
The people of the world worship,
To the loving God,
Ah, God is in that hall.
Joy, radiant light upon the earth,
Goddess, radiant light upon the earth!
Your power unites people again,
Your power can unite people again,
Billions of people united!
Everyone loves each other and loves each other!
Friends! In that heavenly hall,
there is a loving God for all eternity,
billions of people united!
Everyone loves each other and loves each other!
Joy,
Goddess of Joy,
Splendid light shines on the earth!