Beethoven conducted his Ninth Symphony premiere while profoundly deaf, needing to be turned to see the ovation. #history #arthistory #didyouknow | Historix

In this special Christmas Day performance at the Berlin Wall in 1989, Leonard Bernstein conducts Beethoven’s glorious Ninth Symphony. An affirmation of optimism, beauty, and universality written when the composer was almost completely deaf, you can watch the full performance—part of our exploration of Bernstein’s extensive body of work—now on Carnegie Hall : carnegiehallplus.com | Carnegie Hall

Deafness couldn't stop Beethoven. His Ninth Symphony, finished by 1824, premiered to acclaim. It remains a symbol of unity. Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, often called the “Choral Symphony,” was composed between 1822 and 1824, premiering in Vienna on May 7, 1824. The period was one of political turmoil following the Napoleonic Wars, and the symphony’s message was one of aspirational unity. It was a groundbreaking work, most notably for being the first major symphony to incorporate a chor