Beethoven’s Ode to Joy
To celebrate the finale of our Beethoven 250th birthday celebration, we could choose none other than the symphony of symphonies, Beethoven’s Ninth. In a work that encapsulates an entire lifetime of musical exploration and experimentation, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony makes no apologies. This is a work that stretches the boundary of what man can express though music. Indeed, in a work of bold shocks and ineffable beauties, Beethoven ultimately turns to the human voice in the finale, combining operatic soloists and a massive choir in a now-iconic Ode to Joy. An epic work in every conceivable way, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony will figure prominently in orchestral celebrations across this globe this year, and we will of course enlist our own Erie Philharmonic Chorus under the preparation of Thomas Brooks and a cast of soloists from the world stage to help join in the celebration.
