Tracy K. Smith Reads her Adaptation of Schiller's "Ode to Joy"

When Beethoven incorporated Friedrich Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy” into his Ninth Symphony, it was a radical call for equality, freedom, and brotherhood. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Carnegie Hall commissioned former United States Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith to reimagine Schiller’s poem as a contemporary meditation on community, politics, and spirit.

Carnegie Hall is a proud partner in the #GlobalOdeToJoy project which aims to celebrate the joy we inspire in our communities.