Few works in Western music carry the power and significance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Completed in 1824, it was his final symphony—and the first in history to include a full chorus and vocal soloists in a symphonic form. The piece builds toward its legendary final movement, a setting of Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” a soaring, defiant hymn to unity, peace, and the shared humanity of all people. Composed while Beethoven was completely deaf, the Ninth is both monumental and deeply personal. Its message of hope and universal brotherhood has transcended centuries, cultures, and political moments to become a symbol of resilience and idealism.