The Ode To Joy was first produced as a poem. Penned by Friedrich Schiller in 1785, it was written in German. The gist of the poem was universal brotherhood and uniting against war and desperation. It was put to music by Beethoven in Symphony No. 9, and the musical composition embraced peace.
Beethoven loved the poem, while Friedrich Schiller dismissed his poem as a horrid piece of work. But the music that Beethoven wrote swiftly drove the piece into a popular anthem. It was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1972 as the official anthem. Later in 1985, it became the anthem of the European Community, which later became the European Union.
It is interesting to note that Symphony No. 9 was the last composition finished by Beethoven before his death. During the composition, Beethoven had suffered from depression and some suicidal thoughts. While he did not act on these feelings, it is fascinating that this musical number really encompasses peace.
While several composers of the time wrote this composition off as “terrible and derisive,” it has stood the test of time to become of Beethoven’s most beloved works, and an anthem to alliances and camaraderie.