Ode to Joy - Menchey Music

O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen,
und freudenvollere.

Oh friends, not these sounds!
Let us instead strike up more pleasing
and more joyful ones!

These are the first words in Beethoven’s 9^th symphony, which was to be the crown jewel of Beethoven’s legacy. It is his final symphony premiering only 3 years before his death. Written during his “late period,” his compositions at this time were growing increasingly complex as Beethoven confronted his own mortality, struggling with questions about the mark he would leave on the musical world. Everyone expected his 9^th symphony to be complex, heavy, and barely accessible. However, they were wrong. Instead Beethoven’s 9^th symphony is a simple exclamation of joy. Beethoven took the memorable text of Fredrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” and set it to a simple melody. By doing so, he gave us a moving work that unites us all as “friends” and brings us together in musical joy.

A Feeling of Friendship, Unity and Joy

This feeling of friendship, unity and joy led Leonard Bernstein to perform Beethoven’s 9^thSymphony to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today, it is what leads us and so many musicians to rekindle this simple tune in this time of quarantine and solitude. As a result, we want all of our students to join us in bringing life to this melody. This isn’t a song about some incredible feat of musical prowess, it’s about a simplicity and joy that we can all share in. In that same spirit, we have arranged this melody. We hope to bring together every musician and parent that is a part of the Menchey family, from our staff and teachers, to people who are just starting their musical journey. Record yourself and celebrate with us as we unite as many people as we can through this truly moving work of art.