Everyone's heard the loudest snippet of the final movement of Beethoven's ninth symphony. It graces our films, tv shows, and commercials with impunity. But what about the rest of that symphony? Whaddaya say?
A few days ago, I heard the Ninth in its entirety for the first time, from start to finish - and I now understand people who think that a great way to spend an evening is in a comfy chair with a glass of wine playing symphonies on the stereo.
Imagine, for a moment, if all we knew of Saving Private Ryan was the final conversation between Ryan and his captain. It would still be a powerful, beautiful, striking scene...but, out of context, it wouldn't mean a whole lot. After hearing the whole Ninth from start to finish, this is what only hearing the loudest part of the final movement is like.
It's a masterpiece. Taking the journey from the first notes to that final Ode to Joy is an experience that can't really be described, except to say that you've never actually heard the Ode to Joy until you've heard where it came from. I was so floored at the end of this symphony that I couldn't listen to another one for three days - and when I thought I was ready, I really wasn't. I still haven't quite absorbed it properly.
I should probably at a caveat here that I already like this kind of stuff - I'm a classically trained flautist, so classical music doesn't scare me. But, I'd strongly encourage you, even if you don't or think you don't like this genre, to give Beethoven's Ninth a chance. It'll only take about an hour of your life - there are so many worse ways to spend that hour.
Trust me!
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