Sketches in History | A Silent Symphony
Hello, and welcome back to Sketches in History! I'm Lottie Archer, your guide. Every week, we sit in my grandfather's study and open my magical notebook to a sketch from history, letting it pull us into the past to experience a moment first-hand. Last time, we witnessed the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, connecting continents like never before. Today, we're journeying to another remarkable moment—but like last time, let's begin in my grandfather's study.
The study is especially cozy today, with rain pattering against the windows and the scent of old books filling the air. I started the fire in the hearth and can it hear crackling, as if in competition with the rain, keeping out the damp and cold. From where I’m sitting, I can see a corner of Grandfather's study —the area around one of the bookshelves where he kept some of his more unusual treasures. Lets go over and check it out.
There's a hidden drawer I never noticed before! Look, we foud a small wooden box with intricate carvings.
Inside the box is... a piece of paper, yellowed with age and carefully preserved between two pieces of glass. It appears to be a small segment of sheet music with handwritten notes. At the top, in elegant handwriting, it says "Symphony No. 9, final movement" and is signed "L.v. Beethoven." There's a note from Grandfather: "Vienna, May 7, 1824. From the original score. A reminder that music is everywhere, and is always heard, even in silence."
This is extraordinary! Could this really be a fragment of Beethoven's original Ninth Symphony? Let's see if the notebook has something to show us about this. I'll place the framed sheet music on the desk and open today's page.
But first, our word of the day: triumph.
Triumph means a great victory or achievement, especially after overcoming serious obstacles. When you finally succeed at something very difficult, that's a triumph. Today, we're witnessing one of the greatest artistic triumphs in history—a man who has lost his hearing creating some of the most beautiful music ever written.
The sketch is breathtaking! It shows a crowded concert hall filled with elegantly dressed people. On stage stands a full orchestra and choir. At the center, a wild-haired man stands with his back to the audience, arms raised dramatically. Another man stands nearby, seemingly ready to turn pages of music. The sketch is beginning to move—I can almost hear the music swelling and see the conductor's passionate movements. You know what that means!
Are you ready? Close your eyes, hold on tight, and let's go!
We made it! We're sitting in an elegant concert hall lit by countless candles and oil lamps. The air is warm and slightly stuffy from so many people gathered together. All around us, men in formal evening wear and women in magnificent dresses are speaking in excited whispers. On the stage before us, a large orchestra sits ready, and behind them stands a choir. The atmosphere is absolutely electric with anticipation.
Based on the sheet music in Grandfather's hidden drawer and what I can see, we must be at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna on May 7, 1824. This is the premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony—his final complete symphony and one of the greatest musical compositions in history. What makes this moment especially remarkable is that Beethoven himself is conducting, despite being completely deaf!
Let's look closely at what's happening!
That man standing at the conductor's podium with wild, unkempt hair is Ludwig van Beethoven himself. By this point in his life, he has been completely deaf for nearly a decade. Can you imagine? A composer who cannot hear his own music! Notice there's another conductor standing nearby—Michael Umlauf. He's there to help, as Beethoven can't hear the orchestra.
The hall falls silent as Beethoven raises his arms. The music begins—soft at first, then building in complexity and power.
Beethoven is conducting with dramatic, passionate movements, feeling the music through vibrations rather than sound. But wait—oh dear, he's conducting too quickly! The actual conductor, Umlauf, has instructed the musicians to follow him instead. Beethoven doesn't realize he's out of sync with the orchestra.
This symphony is revolutionary—longer and more complex than any that came before it. But the most remarkable part is yet to come, in the final movement.
Listen! For the first time in the history of symphonic music, a choir has joined in! They're singing words from Friedrich Schiller's poem "Ode to Joy," celebrating the brotherhood of all humanity. "All people become brothers." This musical innovation changed symphonic composition forever.
Look at the audience—they're absolutely mesmerized. Many have tears in their eyes. They know they're witnessing something unprecedented.
But the most heartbreaking and beautiful moment is still to come...this full musical piece lasts over 65 minutes, and when its over, I can’t wait to see Beethoven when he sees the crowd’s reaction. I think the notebook is going to pull us forward to that moment so we can experience it together.
I was right! The performance is done! The audience is on their feet, applauding wildly, shouting "Bravo!" But Beethoven is still conducting—he can't hear that the music has stopped or the roaring applause behind him. Look—one of the soloists is turning him around to face the audience so he can see their reaction. The look on his face... pure astonishment as he sees five standing ovations but hears nothing.
This moment represents the pinnacle of Beethoven's triumph over adversity—creating perhaps the greatest symphony ever written despite never being able to hear it performed.
Let's head back to the study before the crowds begin to disperse.
We're back in the study, still feeling the emotional power of that music! Let's see what the notebook says about today's adventure.
We just witnessed the premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on May 7, 1824, in Vienna. Despite being completely deaf, Beethoven conducted his revolutionary final symphony, which introduced choral elements to symphonic music for the first time. The "Ode to Joy" from this symphony would become one of the most recognized musical themes in history, a celebration of universal brotherhood and joy.
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony transcended the boundaries of traditional symphonic composition and remains one of the most influential musical works ever created. It has since been performed in moments of great historical significance, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the opening of the Olympic Games, symbolizing humanity's highest aspirations.
Remember our word of the day? That's right—triumph. Beethoven's creation of this magnificent symphony while completely deaf represents one of history's greatest artistic triumphs over adversity. That small piece of sheet music in Grandfather's collection isn't just a musical notation—it's evidence of the human spirit's ability to create beauty even in the darkest circumstances.
Before we close our time together, I want to encourage all of you to go and listen to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. As you listen, remember that he was deaf, that he wrote the music knowing he would never be able to hear it, and that the masterpiece you are hearing is a timeless triumph despite the challenges Beethoven had. Ask your parents to find the piece on Spotify or Apple Music. I am sure they will be excited to let you experience it.
What an incredible moment! We witnessed how human creativity can overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. Thanks for joining me in Sketches in History. Don't forget to subscribe to the 15-Minute History Podcast so you'll never miss an adventure. If you have a historical moment you'd like to visit, send your ideas to 15minutehistory@gmail.com.
Until next time, keep wondering, keep imagining, and remember—the past is just a page away.
Discussion Questions
1. How do you think Beethoven felt when he saw the audience's reaction but couldn't hear their applause?
2. Why do you think the "Ode to Joy" melody continues to be used for important celebrations around the world?
3. Can you think of other artists who created great works despite physical challenges?
4. How does music communicate emotions and ideas even without words?
