Rick Steves Europe: A Symphonic Journey: European Union

Ode to Joy (1824) by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) This clip of "Ode to Joy" from the one-hour special "Rick Steves Europe: A Symphonic Journey," is the crowning moment of the final movement of the last symphony by the giant of 19th-century music — Ludwig van Beethoven. Conceived in the spirit of the French Revolution, and based on a poem to universal brotherhood, this anthem is as relevant today as it was when Beethoven put pen to paper. With this piece, Beethoven calls for all men to become brothers, to celebrate freedom, and to be united joyfully in their diversity. His music is now the official anthem of the European Union. In "Rick Steves Europe: A Symphonic Journey" Rick teams up with the Cascade Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Michael Miropolsky, on a musical tour that begins in the USA, then touches down in seven different European countries. The result is a performance that combines Europe s most stirring Romantic-era anthems with beautiful high-definition cinematography and Rick s insights into European history. For more information on the Rick Steves Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit http://www.ricksteves.com. #symphony #classicalmusic #beethoven