On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:05:02 -0500, nemesis wrote:

> Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>> On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:46:46 +0000, Orchid XP v7 wrote:
>> > Random snippet: I remember when the school orchestra performed Ode To
>> > Joy. (Don't ask me who wrote that.)
>>
>> Beethoven used it in the last movement of the 9th Symphony, but it's a
>> traditional tune, and I don't know if the authorship is even known. 
>> The words were written by Friedrich Schiller (a poet) in 1785, but it's
>> been used in music since 1786; Beethoven's use (the best known) is just
>> one of many uses in music.  Even Tchaikovsky used it (which I didn't
>> know).
> 
> hmm, you say it's a traditional tune (melody) but I've never heard of
> that.  I know after Schiller wrote it, many musicians created music for
> the words, but I think the melody in the 9th is definitely from
> Beethoven.  I searched wikipedia and this:
> http://europa.eu/abc/symbols/anthem/index_en.htm
> 
> the EU anthem is based on the 9th's Ode to Joy.
> 
> is it true it's a traditional tune from before the 9th?

That's what I recall from a music history class I took years ago.  I 
might be thinking of something else (perhaps "Simple Gifts" from 
Appalachian Spring).

Jim

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