Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, whether he wanted it to or not, pushed the envelope forward in the world of Western Classical Music. Wagner once argued that Beethoven’sNinth pointed the way to the “Music of the Future,” and indeed, it’s had the kind of impact on later composers that perhaps no other piece has had. But it wasn’t just composers like Wagner, Bruckner, and Schubert that the piece influenced. It has been a deeply engaging piece for just about everyone. The work has been used at various Olympic opening ceremonies; its melody is the official anthem of the European Union; and Leonard Bernstein performed the work in Berlin on Christmas Day in 1989 soon after the city was reunited. It’s our Evening Masterwork tonight at 7, on the 200th anniversary of the work’s premiere, on Classical WSMR.
Evening Masterworks: Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in d minor, Op. 125 “Choral” for May 7, 2024
