What is the name of Beethoven's ninth symphony?

Answer 1

I remember reading off of an album cover thirty or forty years ago that Beethoven quipped, "The Ninth Symphony has a Story, but no one will ever guess it!"

It is perhaps impertinent to guess, buy mine is that his Ninth is his autobiography..writ large, of course. Beethoven's last string quartets might have been *personal*, as might have other chamber works, famously for example the "Moonlight Sonata", dedicated to an Italian diva, whose name has otherwise been lost, perhaps unfortunately, to history. But there is nothing personal about the Ninth. It is Beethoven imagining the perfection of humanity.

So the last movement, obviously, is death and transfiguration amongst a host of choristers.

Ergo, the first movement is Conception and Birth. In the Twenty-First Century (caps for us, aren't we important?), conception is taken for granted. Indeed, we even have CONTRA-conception. But in 1820, when Beethoven was thinking about Life, Conception was a Pretty Big Mystery. (That also made room for "immaculate conceptions" and other good stuff.) But it was a Big Mystery. So that's the basic idea of the first movement, with maybe labor pains when the tympani enter half-way through, beyond the Mystery of Conception. Then the first movement ends with the power of New Life.

The second movement is Scherzo, Youth, and joyful childhood and adolescence.

The third movement is maturity and old age. Hence the reversal of the classical positions of Scherzo and Adagio.

The last movement, as I have guessed, is Death and Transfiguration.

This all seems very obvious to me, but I'm sure Beethoven would be entertained to hear your interpretation, too.

Answer 2

Beethoven's Symphony no. 9 in D Minor is called the Choral Symphony, because it was the first ever to employ the use of voice as an instrument.

The final movement of the symphony is sometimes referred to as the Ode to Joy, because it was based on a poem (not written by Beethoven) of the same name. This is not the correct name, however.

Answer 3

Well, Beethoven Symphony No.9 "Choral" in D minor, Opus 125 is full as I can go.

Answer 4

Beethoven's 9th is known as the "Choral" symphony, because it uses a chorus in the last movement.

Answer 5

Beethoven's Symphony no. 9 in D Minor, known as the "Choral Symphony", was his final symphony.