Beethoven was undoubtedly one of the most gifted composers of all time, but his life was not an easy one. Plagued with difficulties and challenges: family troubles, a frustrating love life, anger issues, and most debilitating of all, significant hearing loss—it is a wonder that he would be inspired to write any music at all. Yet, from the core of this tortured artist came some of the most beautiful and emotionally charged music ever written. Who could have anticipated that this man’s most recognized and influential major composition, his 9th Symphony, would embody the spirit of Schiller’s ODE TO JOY?