Classical/Romantic · 1824
Symphony No. 9 — 'Ode to Joy' theme
L. v. BeethovenOp. 125
- Key
- D
- Time
- 4/4
- Tempo
- ♩=88
- AO focus
- AO3
Incipit
Form
Theme + variations. The choral finale presents this melody in unison strings before the chorus enters with Schiller's text.
Teaching points
- 16-bar theme = two 8-bar phrases, each ending with a perfect cadence
- Stepwise motion almost throughout — rangy but singable
- Compare vocal range (a fifth + a step) to the sketch's later orchestral expansion