Schiller's poem An die Freude (1785), which inspired Beethoven to write the well-known theme for the finale of his 9th Symphony (1823/4), now the official anthem of the Council of Europe and the European Union, is not just about joy, but also about freedom, peace and human brotherhood.

In a deliberate break with protocol, our theme is presented here in 6 short, light and contrasting variations.
After a brief 8-bar introduction, this Theme is presented in 2 voices over a descending chromatic bass in white.
Variation 1 repeats the theme, articulating it in eighth notes over a descending chromatic bass in quarter notes.
Variation 2 consists of brief exchanges between melody and bass, with a contrasting ‘voluntary and heroic’ character in the middle section.
Variation 3 is a sort of drunken interpretation of our theme, transformed for the occasion into an eccentric ragtime.
Variation 4, meno mosso e malincolinco, is minor and ornamented in the Baroque style.
Variation 5 sees the melody come to life in virtuoso triplets on the simple support of its descending chromatic bass in white.
Variation 6 extends this pacifist, eclectic musical joke a little further in a style that I like to call ‘post-yéyé’, before finally disappearing, after a conclusion that has been postponed several times, in a final flop.

Frédéric Cellier