In 1824, completely deaf and adrift from the people he loved, Ludwig van Beethoven composed his Ninth Symphony as an act of transcendence near the end of his life. Today, the piece of music still resonates as the international anthem of hope. The Ninth buoyed the protesters in Tiananmen Square, provided solace to those struggling for freedom in Pinochet's Chile and continues to fill seats in symphony halls and karaoke bars around the world. Following the Ninth captures the power and beauty of Beethoven's grand achievement, touching the lives of people around the world for nearly 200 years.