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Beethoven’s 9th Symphony may be the most well-known piece of music in the world. And the fourth movement, the “Ode to Joy,” is one of its most memorable and oft-heard sections.
It is commonly known that Beethoven went deaf late in his life. When his 9th Symphony premiered in Vienna in 1824, just three years before his death, Beethoven stood on stage and waved his arms at an orchestra he could no hear. The actual conduction, thankfully, was in the hands of Michael Umlauf.
Beethoven was reportedly so unaware of what was going on that at the conclusion of the performance, one of the vocalists had to physically turn him around so that he could accept his applause.
“Ode to Joy” Playing Tips
One of the reasons Beethoven’s 9th has endured for two centuries is its simplicity. The symphony as a whole is full of phrases that get stuck in your head, just like that pop song you heard on the radio earlier.
And while there are certainly layers upon layers of complexity to the arrangement of the various instruments and voices, the top line melody of “Ode to Joy,” replicated in the TAB below, is about as simple as it gets. It’s a perfect entry point to classical music for beginners.
Click the link or the ‘Download’ button below to see the sheet music if your browser doesn’t display the embedded PDF. Happy picking!
“Ode To Joy” Low G Sheet Music Download
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