Beethoven’s Ninth was hotly debated amongst listeners and music critics at first. But his setting of Schiller’s "Ode to Joy" in the final movement is now sung by classical music fans and many others as a matter of course. However, the catchy theme is deceptive, and the choral writing is in fact much more difficult than it looks. Dizzy heights and frequent contrasting tempo changes demand absolutely everything from the choral singer: here, every detail has to work, for this movement is ultimately the crowning conclusion of the 70-minute symphony.
The Carus Choir Coach offers choir singers the unique opportunity to study and learn their own, individual choral parts within the context of the sound of the entire choir and orchestra. For every vocal range a separate Audio or MP3 containing each choir part is available. The Carus Choir Coach is based on recorded interpretations by renowned artists who have performed the work from carefully prepared Carus Urtext editions. Each choir part is presented in three different versions:
- Original recording
- Coach: each part is accompanied by the piano, with the original recording sounding in the background
- Coach in slow mode: the tempo of the coach slows down to 70% of the original version – through this reduction passages can be learned more effectively.
Performers: Renate Behle (soprano), Yvonne Naef (mezzo-soprano), Glenn
Winslade (tenore), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (basso) – Rundfunkchor Berlin,
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg – Michael Gielen
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Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
| 1770-1827Ludwig van Beethoven was without doubt one of the most influential composers in the history of music. His works formed the culmination of many genres – particularly instrumental – of Viennese classicism, and laid the foundation for the following decades. But Beethoven’s vocal works set standards too: the late Missa Solemnis is one of the most impressive choral works of its time; but his earlier Mass in C also opens up new worlds of expression for the liturgical text, and set the benchmark for the further development in the composition of the mass. And with the final chorus of the Ninth Symphony, the setting of Schiller’s Ode to Joy, Beethoven created one of the most frequently-performed and best known choral pieces of all, writing a timeless musical memorial to himself. Personal details
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Songwriter / Librettist
Friedrich Schiller
| 1759-1805
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Choir
Rundfunkchor Berlin
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Ensemble
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und FreiburgBaden-Baden und Freiburg
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Conductor
Michael Gielen
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Soloist - soprano
Renate Behle
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Soloist - alto
Yvonne Naef
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Soloist - tenor
Glenn Winslade
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Soloist - bass
Hanno Müller-Brachmann