General Knowledge: Beethoven's Ninth

Every singer ought to know the original German and the English translation of the text used in the last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Here it is:

O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere
anstimmen und freudenvollere.
Freude! Freude!
Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligthum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder
Was die Mode streng getheilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.
Wem der große Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein;
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!
Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur;
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod;
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.
Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt'gen Plan,
Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn,
Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen.
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über'm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muß er wohnen.

Oh friends, not these tones!
Rather let us sing more
cheerful and more joyful ones.
Joy! Joy!
Joy, beautiful sparkle of the gods,
Daughter of Elysium!
We enter, fire-drunk,
Heavenly one, your shrine.
Your magics again bind
What custom has strictly parted.
All people will be brothers
Where your tender wing lingers.
Whoever succeeds in the great attempt
To be a friend of a friend,
Whoever has won a lovely woman,
Let him add his jubilation!
Yes, whoever calls even one soul
His own on the earth's globe!
And who never has, let him steal,
Weeping, away from this group.
All creatures drink joy
At the breasts of nature;
All the good, all the evil
Follow her roses' trail.
Kisses gave she us, and wine,
A friend, proven unto death;
Pleasure was to the worm granted,
And the cherub stands before God.
Glad, as his suns fly
Through the Heavens' glorious plan,
Run, brothers, your race,
Joyful, as a hero to victory.
Be embraced, you millions!
This kiss for the whole world!
Brothers, beyond the star-canopy
Must a loving Father dwell.
Do you bow down, you millions?
Do you sense the Creator, world?
Seek Him beyond the star-canopy!
Beyond the stars must He dwell.


The reasons one ought to know this are manifold. It’s beautiful poetry in either language. Likewise the musical theme lies behind the hymn "Joyful, joyful we adore thee," found in nearly every hymnal. And whether the modern poet intended it or not, this poem oozes through that modern text. Frederich Schiller wrote the original poem in 1785. Beethoven included it in the symphony which was completed in 1824. Beethoven added some words (in italics above) to the Schiller poem to complete his own spin on the text. Beethoven was not the only composer to set the words to music. The overt mysticism and references to a pantheon of deities is removed in the poem found in most hymnals.

Here is the text we usually find in modern hymnals:

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Henry J. van Dyke wrote this poem in 1907. It’s not clear if he had in mind any reference to the Schiller poem. The connections are obvious however, despite what is in van Dyke’s hand a distinctly Christian paean. A few hymnal committees have tried to remove the male-dominated language from van Dyke’s poem, with very few doing it well. I believe inclusive language is a must in any hymn text written these days, but to force our preferences on ancient texts usually has a deleterious effect on the poem’s integrity and the singer’s enthusiasm for singing it. Too often the revision is too awkward to sing. But that’s another post.

Church musicians owe it to themselves to know the original Schiller poem and its translation, as well as the complete poem by van Dyke. Even if you don't know a lick of German, one can listen to a good recording and learn even how to say the poem with authority. Every singer should likewise aspire to be able to sing the Beethoven choral symphony at some point in their life. I got to sing it in college as part of a mass of college choirs singing with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. I have forgotten a lot of what the preparation and the performance were like, but I will never forget hearing the cellos and basses begin the theme before the singers’ entrance, nor the 21, count them, D major chords that end the piece.