Ode to Joy

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This article is about Schiller's poem. For the "Ode to Joy" theme by Ludwig van Beethoven, see Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven) § IV. Finale. For other uses, see Ode to Joy (disambiguation).
"Song of Joy" redirects here. For the album by Captain & Tennille, see Song of Joy (album).

Ode to Joy
by Friedrich Schiller
Autograph manuscript, c. 1785
Original titleAn die Freude
Written1785
CountryGermany
LanguageGerman
FormOde
PublisherThalia
Publication date1786, 1808

"Ode to Joy" (German: "An die Freude" [an diː ˈfʁɔʏdə]) is an ode written in the summer of 1785 by the German poet, playwright, and historian Friedrich Schiller. It was published the following year in the German magazine Thalia. In 1808, a slightly revised version changed two lines of the first stanza and omitted the last stanza.

"Ode to Joy" is best known for its use by Ludwig van Beethoven in the final (fourth) movement of his Ninth Symphony, completed in 1824. Beethoven's text is not based entirely on Schiller's poem, and it introduces a few new sections. Beethoven's melody,[1] but not Schiller's text, was adopted as the "Anthem of Europe" by the Council of Europe in 1972 and later by the European Union. Rhodesia's national anthem from 1974 until 1979, "Rise, O Voices of Rhodesia", also used Beethoven's melody.

The poem

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Schillerhaus in Gohlis

Schiller wrote the first version of the poem when he was staying in Gohlis, Leipzig. In 1785, from the beginning of May until mid-September, he stayed with his publisher, Georg Joachim Göschen, in Leipzig and wrote "An die Freude" along with his play Don Carlos.[2]

Schiller later made some revisions to the poem, which was then republished posthumously in 1808, and it was this latter version that forms the basis for Beethoven's setting. Despite the lasting popularity of the ode, Schiller himself regarded it as a failure later in his life, going so far as to call it "detached from reality" and "of value maybe for us two, but not for the world, nor for the art of poetry" in an 1800 letter to his longtime friend and patron Christian Gottfried Körner (whose friendship had originally inspired him to write the ode).[3]

Lyrics

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An die Freude

Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum.
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
Was die Mode streng geteilt,*
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,*
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.

Chorus
Seid umschlungen Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder – überm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein,
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja – wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!

Chorus
Was den großen Ring bewohnet
Huldige der Sympathe!
Zu den Sternen leitet sie,
Wo der Unbekannte thronet.

Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur,
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod,
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.

Chorus
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer Welt?
Such ihn überm Sternenzelt,
Über Sternen muß er wohnen.

Freude heißt die starke Feder
In der ewigen Natur.
Freude, Freude treibt die Räder
In der großen Weltenuhr.
Blumen lockt sie aus den Keimen,
Sonnen aus dem Firmament,
Sphären rollt sie aus den Räumen,
Die des Sehers Rohr nicht kennt.

Chorus
Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt'gen Plan,
Wandelt Brüder eure Bahn,
Freudig wie ein Held zum Siegen.

Aus der Wahrheit Feuerspiegel
Lächelt sie den Forscher an.
Zu der Tugend steilem Hügel
Leitet sie des Dulders Bahn.
Auf des Glaubens Sonnenberge
Sieht man ihre Fahnen wehn,
Durch den Riß gesprengter Särge
Sie im Chor der Engel stehn.

Chorus
Duldet mutig Millionen!
Duldet für die beßre Welt!
Droben überm Sternenzelt
Wird ein großer Gott belohnen.

Göttern kann man nicht vergelten,
Schön ist ihnen gleich zu sein.
Gram und Armut solln sich melden,
Mit den Frohen sich erfreun.
Groll und Rache sein vergessen,
Unserm Todfeind sei verziehn,
Keine Träne soll ihn pressen,
Keine Reue nage ihn.

Chorus
Unser Schuldbuch sei vernichtet,
Ausgesöhnt die ganze Welt!
Brüder – überm Sternenzelt
Richtet Gott wie ihr gerichtet.

Freude sprudelt in Pokalen,
In der Traube goldnem Blut
Trinken Sanftmut Kannibalen,
Die Verzweiflung Heldenmut.
Brüder fliegt von euren Sitzen,
Wenn der volle Römer kreist,
Laßt den Schaum zum Himmel spritzen:
Dieses Glas dem guten Geist!

Chorus
Den der Sterne Wirbel loben,
Den des Seraphs Hymne preist,
Dieses Glas dem guten Geist,
Überm Sternenzelt dort droben!

Festen Mut in schweren Leiden,
Hilfe, wo die Unschuld weint,
Ewigkeit geschwornen Eiden,
Wahrheit gegen Freund und Feind,
Männerstolz vor Königsthronen,
Brüder, gält es Gut und Blut!
Dem Verdienste seine Kronen,
Untergang der Lügenbrut!

Chorus
Schließt den heil'gen Zirkel dichter,
Schwört bei diesem goldnen Wein,
Dem Gelübde treu zu sein,
Schwört es bei dem Sternenrichter!

Rettung von Tyrannenketten,
Großmut auch dem Bösewicht,
Hoffnung auf den Sterbebetten,
Gnade auf dem Hochgericht!
Auch die Toten sollen leben!
Brüder, trinkt und stimmet ein,
Allen Sündern soll vergeben,
Und die Hölle nicht mehr sein.

Chorus
Eine heitre Abschiedsstunde!
Süßen Schlaf im Leichentuch!
Brüder – einen sanften Spruch
Aus des Totenrichters Mund.

Translation:

Ode to Joy

Joy, thou beauteous godly lightning,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire drunken we are ent'ring
Heavenly, thy holy home!
Thy enchantments bind together,
What did custom stern divide,
Every man becomes a brother,
Where thy gentle wings abide.

Chorus
Be embrac'd, ye millions yonder!
Take this kiss throughout the world!
Brothers – o'er the stars unfurl'd
Must reside a loving Father.

Who the noble prize achieveth,
Good friend of a friend to be;
Who a lovely wife attaineth,
Join us in his jubilee!
Yes – he too who but one being
On this earth can call his own!
He who ne'er was able, weeping
Stealeth from this league alone!

Chorus
He who in the great ring dwelleth,
Homage pays to sympathy!
To the stars above leads she,
Where on high the Unknown reigneth.

Joy is drunk by every being
From kind nature's flowing breasts,
Every evil, every good thing
For her rosy footprint quests.
Gave she us both vines and kisses,
In the face of death a friend,
To the worm were given blisses
And the Cherubs God attend.

Chorus
Fall before him, all ye millions?
Know'st thou the Creator, world?
Seek above the stars unfurl'd,
Yonder dwells He in the heavens.

Joy commands the hardy mainspring
Of the universe eterne.
Joy, oh joy the wheel is driving
Which the worlds' great clock doth turn.
Flowers from the buds she coaxes,
Suns from out the hyaline,
Spheres she rotates through expanses,
Which the seer can't divine.

Chorus
As the suns are flying, happy
Through the heaven's glorious plane,
Travel, brothers, down your lane,
Joyful as in hero's vict'ry.

From the truth's own fiery mirror
On the searcher doth she smile.
Up the steep incline of honor
Guideth she the suff'rer's mile.
High upon faith's sunlit mountains
One can see her banner flies,
Through the breach of open'd coffins
She in angel's choir doth rise.

Chorus
Suffer on courageous millions!
Suffer for a better world!
O'er the tent of stars unfurl'd
God rewards you from the heavens.

Gods can never be requited,
Beauteous 'tis, their like to be.
Grief and want shall be reported,
So to cheer with gaiety.
Hate and vengeance be forgotten,
Pardon'd be our mortal foe,
Not a teardrop shall him dampen,
No repentance bring him low.

Chorus
Let our book of debts be cancell'd!
Reconcile the total world!
Brothers – o'er the stars unfurl'd
God doth judge, as we have settl'd.

Joy doth bubble from this rummer,
From the golden blood of grape
Cannibals imbibe good temper,
Weak of heart their courage take –
Brothers, fly up from thy places,
When the brimming cup doth pass,
Let the foam shoot up in spaces:
To the goodly Soul this glass!

Chorus
Whom the crown of stars doth honor,
Whom the hymns of Seraphs bless,
To the goodly Soul this glass
O'er the tent of stars up yonder!

Courage firm in grievous trial,
Help, where innocence doth scream,
Oaths which sworn to are eternal,
Truth to friend and foe the same,
Manly pride 'fore kingly power –
Brothers, cost it life and blood –
Honor to whom merits honor,
Ruin to the lying brood!

Chorus
Closer draw the holy circle,
Swear it by this golden wine,
Faithful to the vow divine,
Swear it by the Judge celestial!

Rescue from the tyrant's fetters,
Mercy to the villain e'en,
Hope within the dying hours,
Pardon at the guillotine!
E'en the dead shall live in heaven!
Brothers, drink and all agree,
Every sin shall be forgiven,
Hell forever cease to be.

Chorus
A serene departing hour!
Pleasant sleep beneath the pall!
Brothers – gentle words for all
Doth the Judge of mortals utter![4]

Revisions

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The lines marked with * were revised in the posthumous 1808 edition as follows:

Original Revised Translation of original Translation of revision Comment
was der Mode Schwerd geteilt Was die Mode streng geteilt what the sword of custom divided What custom strictly divided The original meaning of Mode was "custom, contemporary taste".[5]
Bettler werden Fürstenbrüder Alle Menschen werden Brüder beggars become princes' brothers All people become brothers

The original, later eliminated last stanza reads

Rettung von Tirannenketten,
Großmut auch dem Bösewicht,
Hoffnung auf den Sterbebetten,
Gnade auf dem Hochgericht!
Auch die Toden sollen leben!
Brüder trinkt und stimmet ein,
Allen Sündern soll vergeben,
und die Hölle nicht mehr seyn.

Translation:

Rescue from the chains of tyrants,
Magnanimity to the villain too,
Hope on the deathbed,
Mercy in the high (law) court,
Even the dead shall live!
Brothers, drink and join
That all sinners shall be forgiven
And hell shall be no more.

Ode to Freedom

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Academic speculation remains as to whether Schiller originally wrote an "Ode to Freedom" (An die Freiheit) and changed it to "To Joy".[6][7] The American journalist Alexander Wheelock Thayer wrote in his biography of Beethoven, "the thought lies near that it was the early form of the poem, when it was still an 'Ode to Freedom' (not 'to Joy'), which first aroused enthusiastic admiration for it in Beethoven's mind".[8] The musicologist Alexander Rehding points out that even Bernstein, who used "Freiheit" in two performances in 1989, called it conjecture whether Schiller used "joy" as code for "freedom" and that scholarly consensus holds that there is no factual basis for this myth.[9]

Use of Beethoven's setting

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Anthem of the European Union
Instrumental performed by the United States Navy Band
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Over the years, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" has remained a protest anthem and a celebration of music.

Other musical settings

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Other musical settings of the poem include:

External audio
audio icon Schubert's "An die Freude" on YouTube, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore

References

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  1. ^ The usual name of the Hymn tune is "Hymn to Joy" "Hymnary – Hymn to Joy". Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  2. ^ "History of the Schiller House". stadtgeschichtliches-museum-leipzig.de. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  3. ^ Schiller, Friedrich (21 October 1800). "[Untitled letter]". wissen-im-netz.info (in German). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  4. ^ "An die Freude / Ode to Joy" (PDF). Schiller Institute. 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  5. ^ "Mode". Duden. Vol. 7. Etymologie. Mannheim: Bibliographisches Institut. 1963. p. 446. ISBN 3-411-00907-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link) The word was derived via French from ultimately Latin modus. Duden cites as first meanings Brauch, Sitte, Tages-, Zeitgeschmack. The primary modern meaning has shifted more towards "fashion".
  6. ^ Kubacki, Wacław [in Polish] (January 1960). "Das Werk Juliusz Slowackis und seine Bedeutung für die polnische Literatur". Zeitschrift für Slawistik (in German). 5 (1): 545–564. doi:10.1524/slaw.1960.5.1.545. S2CID 170929661.
  7. ^ Görlach, Alexander (4 August 2010). "Der Glaube an die Freiheit – Wen darf ich töten?". The European. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Das 'Alle Menschen werden Brüder', das Schiller in seiner Ode an die Freude (eigentlich Ode an die Freiheit) formuliert, ...
  8. ^ Thayer, A. W.(1817–97), rev. and ed. Elliot Forbes. Thayer's Life of Beethoven. (2 vols. 1967, 1991) Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 895.
  9. ^ Rehding, Alexander (2018). Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Oxford University Press. p. 33, note 8 on p. 141. ISBN 978-0-19-029970-5.
  10. ^ Kerry Candaele (6 May 2015). "Following Beethoven's Ninth". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  11. ^ a b Daniel M. Gold (31 October 2013). "The Ode Heard Round the World: Following the Ninth Explores Beethoven's Legacy". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  12. ^ Video of a "flash mob" – "Ode to Joy" sung at Leipzig railway station (8 November 2009) on YouTube
  13. ^ Megan Garber (9 July 2012). "Ode to Joy: 50 String Instruments That Will Melt Your Heart". The Atlantic. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Beethoven's Flash Mobs". billmoyers.com. 14 November 2013.
  15. ^ Nougayrède, Natalie (8 May 2017). "Macron's victory march to Europe's anthem said more than words". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Prom 9: War & Peace". BBC Music Events. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  17. ^ Excommunication, daisakuikeda.org (undated)
  18. ^ Varady, Aharon N. (22 February 2016). "בּרידער | "Brothers" – Y.L. Peretz's Sardonic Rejoinder to Friedrich Schiller's Paean to Universal Enlightenment, An die Freude (Ode to Joy)". opensiddur.org.
  19. ^ Otto Erich Deutsch et al. Schubert Thematic Catalogue, German edition 1978 (Bärenreiter), pp. 128–129
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