Beethoven's Ninth Manuscript Sells for $3.5 Million

By Jeffrey Freymann-Weyr

Published May 22, 2003 at 12:00 AM EDT

An original, annotated manuscript of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony fetches $3.5 million in a Sotheby's auction. NPR's Jeffrey Freymann-Weyr looks at the place that this symphony, with its "Ode to Joy," holds in Western culture.

Jeffrey Freymann-Weyr

Jeffrey Freymann-Weyr (pronounced "FRIME n WIRE") is a producer and editor for NPR's Arts Information unit, primarily dealing with the subjects of classical music and digital technology. Along with David Schulman, he co-produced the occasional series Musicians In Their Own Words." Their profile of Ladysmith Black Mambazos Joseph Shabalala won a Silver Award at the 2004 Third Coast International Audio Festival.