Ode to Joy (An die Freude)

About the poet
Friedrich Schiller, a leading eighteenth century German dramatist, poet and literary theorist, wrote the primary text to this work. (Z. Randall Stroope augmented Schiller's text to meet the musical needs of this work.) Much of Schiller's work had revolutionary appeal among the young, and to that end, Schiller often found himself at odds with the military and civil authorities of the day. “An die Freude” has become his most famous work, if not by its sheer art, by its association with Ludwig van Beethoven in the final movement of the Ninth Symphony.

About the music
“Ode to Joy” (“An die Freude”) is a musical expression of the intense, unconfined outpouring of a satisfied life. It is a dance of a spirit at peace with itself and with the mundane and the divine. In this work, the first section is like unto a full-blown chorale — sonic fireworks in slow motion. Then, rhythm propels the second section into the identification of joy as the daughter of Elysium, the son of fire, the kiss of a heavenly god, and the sustainer of all living creatures. In its most intimate moment, the piece portrays joy as a healer of human loneliness, hopelessness, and prejudice. The piece finally returns full-circle to the nobility of the opening columns of sonority and ends with the affirmation of “Freude” as worthy of human endeavor.

This choral setting of the “Ode to Joy” text is dedicated to the memory of Hugh D. Sanders, whose life epitomized a “spirit at peace with itself” and yet ample enough to share unselfishly with all who encountered his quiet smile. This rare quality inspired the composer to choose a text which describes joy and happiness as the true measure of success in a human life.

About the composer
Please refer to the “composer” tab at the top of this page or go to www.zrstroope.com
for a complete biography and list of works.