Beethoven's Ode to Joy is the main part of the fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony, for four separate voices, chorus and orchestra. Beethoven's music (without words) became the anthem of the European Union, the anthem of the Council of Europe, and was used as the melody for the Rhodesian national anthem "Lift up the voice of Rhodesia" in 1974-1979.
Extended information
Background:
The Ode to Joy is actually the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The Ninth Symphony began its compositional phase in the fall of 1822. But Beethoven spent most of his life to brew, to plan. It wasn't until after the completion of the Solemn Mass that the composer began to put pen to paper to compose this magnificent work that united his life's strength and conviction.
In fact, "Ode to Joy" was originally a poem by the German poet Schiller, which is majestic and magnificent. Beethoven himself is Schiller's loyal admirers, this "Ode to Joy" is also one of Beethoven's most beloved poems, Schiller expressed in the poem on the desire for freedom, equality of life, in fact, has always been aspiring to **** and Beethoven's highest ideal. That's why the composer began planning to turn the poem into a vocal work when he was young.