<span>For his Ninth and final symphony, Beethoven wove the themes of the Enlightenment into his work. He finally saw a chance to use Friedrich Schiller's "Ode to Joy" — Beethoven had long wanted to set the poem to music for its themes of freedom and brotherhood. The Ninth, dedicated to Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, influenced composers that followed, including Schubert, Brahms and Mahler.
