November 20, 2010 8:53 AM
Beethoven's 9th: Ode to Joy (updated!)
[sorry - I had the wrong embed code - this version is much better]
Please, if you are not familiar with Beethoven's 9th, or just know snatches, get a copy and begin listening with your children - it is too beautiful to live without knowing. This part contains Ode to Joy (around 7:00 in this video) - the basis of the familiar hymn - and was part of the opening ceremony of the Olympics held in Nagano, Japan in 1998
The joy will stay with you all day:
Nagano 1998 Opening Ceremony - Beethoven Ode to Joy (1/2)
If you grew up without classical music - as I did - all I can say is it will fill a place God made in us to appreciate great music. And making it part of your daily life when your children are young will enrich your family experience and inoculate your children against becoming attached to less aesthetically pleasing forms later on.
That's not to say you'll all become musical snobs - my kids and I love many kinds of music, as you've probably noticed. But classical will put everything in context.
See also:
3 year old conducts Beethoven's 5th
