Why is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony So Important?
As someone who hasn’t ever really been interested in classical music, I’ve always wondered why composers like Beethoven are the ones taught in school. I’ve always been frustrated to only learn about dead white men when it comes to classical music, but I’ve been trying to open my mind a bit more recently: just because a dead white man wrote it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I truly don’t relate to most of the classical composers that are taught at all so I have a hard time appreciating the music. This post is going to be some reasons why Beethoven is important, even to a teenage girl in 2021.
I remember as a kid learning that Beethoven was deaf when he wrote his ninth symphony, which is what originally made it stand out to little me. It was hard to comprehend a deaf person making music, so he must have been skilled. Turns out he wasn’t completely deaf until very shortly before his death so he was actually able to hear it, but even having bad hearing, being deaf in one ear and writing a whole symphony is impressive to me. I still have a hard time imagining it, especially with what music I do. I don’t really read music so I wouldn’t be able to write it, and mixing and mastering songs would be very difficult without being able to hear. Anyway, that’s what made little me interested in this symphony.
I already knew this piece must be important, because I hardly know any classical music but I do know Beethoven’s ninth. Then, when I was looking for primary sources, I found this Washington Post article from 2003 about the original manuscript being auctioned for $3-$4.6 million. Here are a few images I found of the original manuscript. When something is selling for $4 million, it must be something important. I think since this symphony is probably the most well known piece of classical music, this pricing does make sense. Beethoven also made many marks himself on the manuscript, so it gives historians a look into what was happening while he was composing it. It has passages that were deleted from the score before it was ever performed, so it also gives a look at the writing process and some unreleased material. Even I think that’s super cool, because who wouldn’t want to look at a super famous piece of music written in the 1800s?
So why is Beethoven’s ninth symphony important to a teenger in 2021? Well, he lived during the enlightenment, and this symphony was inspired by the ideas of freedom and equality from the french revolution. Freedom and equality are still things we’re fighting for, so we can and do build off these historical ideas. Beethoven was disabled and is still considered one of the most important people in history, so he’s a symbol for equality when it comes to disability as well. His original manuscript sold for $3.47 million, which just goes to show how important he is to our society. The Ode to Joy is now the European anthem, and fights for freedom, equality and peace. Beethoven was fighting for what was right, and that’s admirable and helps make his music important, even today.
