1. The European Hymn An die Freude - Ode to Joy

2. SOME QUESTIONS TO UNDERSTAND

3. Who writes it? The Ode is composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven, a German composer among the most famous artists of all history Beethoven writes the first draft of the melody in 1814, but finishes the Ode only later in 1824. Ten years of work!

4. What is it? Beethoven chooses to close his Ninth Symphony with this Ode composed by 4 solo voices, chorus & orchestra Adding voices inside a symphony is an absolute novelty. Till then all symphonies were only instrumental. He obtains an outstanding success.

5. The most incredible thing… When Beethoven writes the Ode to Joy he is already completely deaf. He is not able to hear with his own ears the wonder he wrote.

6. Why was it chosen as the European Hymn? The Ode to Joy is mainly a great message of peace and brotherhood; with this composition Beethoven wants to make an open invitation to universal brotherhood: and just to make this message as clear as possible, he decides to include in the finale a sung text of a German poet of his time: Friedrich Schiller The Joy is certainly not intended as a simple and lighthearted happiness, but as a result that comes when men are freed from evil, hatred and wickedness

7. O friends! Not these sounds! But let us strike up more pleasant sounds and more joyful! Joy, o wondrous spark divine, Daughter of Elysium, Drunk with fire now we enter, Heavenly one, your holy shrine. Your magic powers join again What fashion strictly did divide; Brotherhood unites all men Where your gentle wing's spread wide. The man who's been so fortunate To become the friend of a friend, The man who has won a fair woman - To the rejoicing let him add his voice. The man who calls but a single soul Somewhere in the world his own! And he who never managed this - Let him steal forth from our throng! ODETO JOYODETO JOY

8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkj0TeZeZuo&spfreload=10 From the movie «Copying Beethoven»