Even if you don’t know Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, you probably know its finale, the famous “Ode to Joy.”Written 200 years ago, the “Ode” is crafted like the best of pop songs, with easily hummable, simple phrases that use the same techniques you hear in a Taylor Swift hit today.
But the “Ode” is more than pop.
It’s a supranational anthem that aspires to a world in which “all men become brothers,” as its lyrics say.
Since its premiere, the “Ode” has become shorthand for unity and hope, whether sincere or ironic.
Sunny lyrics like “Be embraced, oh you millions!” and “Here’s a kiss for the entire world” have made it a fixture of the Olympics.
Persons:
Joy, ”, Taylor Swift, Friedrich Schiller, “, Einstein