The Ninth...

It is not hard to understand why the Ninth enjoys such iconic status. It is the classic symphonic journey from darkness to light, from minor to major, and from chaos to order. It is also a massive undertaking, still one of the longest pieces in the symphonic repertoire. Beethoven's introduction of a chorus in the final movement — singing Schiller's Ode to Joy — gives the piece the searingly optimistic finale to end all finales. The message that all mankind will be brothers (no mention of sisters) is at the heart of its appeal.