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Munich Symphony Orchestra: Ludwig van BeethovenNodoka Okisawa (conductor)

This event is in the past.

Portrait painting of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven. He is wearing a dark coat and a red scarf. He looks thoughtful, holding a pencil and a music book in his hands.

Joy, beautiful spark of the gods! Beethoven's ninth symphony was considered unique at the time it was written because of its grandiose choral finale – and it still is.

This event is in the past.

Joy, beautiful spark of the gods! Beethoven's ninth symphony was considered unique at the time it was written because of its grandiose choral finale – and it still is.

Yet Beethoven had long wrestled with the idea of setting Friedrich Schiller’s effusive verse for vocal soloists and chorus as the ending of his already ground-breaking work. No one of the succeeding generations of composers were able to ignore this work of the century. At the same time, Beethoven was able to deliver a universally valid message with his hymn. Not without reason did the European heads of sate and government chose it as the jingle of the European Union in 1985. Up to this day, Beethoven’s “kiss to the whole world” lends a unique sheen to every special holiday or celebration. Being all but a must at New Year, the Munich Symphony Orchestra is also committed to this tradition.

  • Munich Symphony Orchestra
  • Munich Oratorio Choir
  • Munich Concert Choir
  • Katharina Persicke, soprano
  • Stefanie Irányi, mezzo-soprano
  • Jörg Dürmüller, tenor
  • Tobias Berndt, bass
  • Nodoka Okisawa, conductor

Programme

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 with final chorus on Schiller’s “Ode to Joy”.

 

All bookings that could not be accommodated for the 2021 concerts have been rescheduled for 28 December 2022 or 1 January 2023.