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ODE TO JOY
by Ludwig van Beethoven
RHYTHM REVIEW:
Clap, sing, or play along with the rhythm cards!
LISTENING:
Watch and listen to this recording of "Ode to Joy" performed by an orchestra at Carnegie Hall!
What do you hear?
Listening Collection:
"Beethoven the Great Composer"
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SONG ANALYSIS
(Think, track, and sing along!)
What does the rhythm sound like?
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What does the melody sound like?
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Which fingers play this song? Which hand?
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Which notes are in this song?
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What patterns do you notice?
BEETHOVEN, THE GREAT COMPOSER
1770 - 1827, Germany
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Download the full PDF here:
Beethoven was the great composer of "Ode to Joy" and many other songs. His father, a strict man, gave him music lessons as a child.
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Young Ludwig published his first composition at age 12, and he played piano to help support his family.
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Even though Beethoven was a virtuoso pianist, he had trouble in school. He once said, "Music comes to me more readily than words."
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At age 26, Beethoven started to lose his hearing, and he eventually became completely deaf. Despite losing his hearing, he still continued to compose music, and he became one of the greatest composers of all time!
"Ode to Joy" comes from Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and it was the first composition ever to use voices with a symphony orchestra!
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KEYBOARD REVIEW:
DOWNLOAD YOUR OWN KEYBOARD CARD HERE:
PERFORMING: MELODY
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1 2 3 4 5
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5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5
PERFORMING: HARMONY
CONNECTING:
LITERACY & POETRY
The original lyrics to "Ode to Joy" were written by Freidrich Schiller, a German philosopher and poet.
Read the English translation of this poem. What is your interpretation of the poem?
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MORE CHALLENGING ARRANGEMENTS
SONG
ANALYSIS
(Think, track, and sing along!)
What does the melody sound like?
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The melody at a faster tempo
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Which fingers play this song? Which hand?
What patterns do you notice?
LISTENING:
People all over the world know "Ode to Joy!"
Check out this video of a Beethoven flash mob, and more versions of the song below! Each performance features a unique musical interpretation. How are these interpretations similar and different?
CREATING:
Compose your own piece in 4/4 time in the style of "Ode to Joy!"
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Use quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes for the rhythm.
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Choose from the notes C, D, E, F, and G for the melody in the right hand.
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Choose from the notes C and G for the harmony in the left hand.
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Try to create some type of pattern in the music like Beethoven.
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Download and print blank notation paper here:
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Or use a program like https://www.noteflight.com/ to notate your work.
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BONUS: Create your own lyrics, or draw a picture to reflect your piece.
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