# Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

A sustained lyrical excerpt with almost nowhere to hide. Tests sound, bow control, and the ability to shape a long line at a very slow tempo.

## About the excerpt

- **Composer:** Ludwig van Beethoven

- **Work:** Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

- **Movement:** III. Adagio molto e cantabile

- **Era:** Classical (c. 1750–1820)

- **Composed:** 1824

- **Tempo:** Adagio molto e cantabile

- **Clef:** Treble clef

- **Difficulty:** Audition

- **Audition list:** Standard excerpt

## Bowing

The tempo is slow enough that bow distribution becomes the central technical problem, running out of bow mid-phrase is the commonest failure.

## Where it goes wrong

Intonation is fully exposed at this tempo. Slow practice against a drone is the standard preparation.

## Style

Vibrato should be continuous but not uniform; the line needs shaping, and an unvarying vibrato flattens it.

## Techniques

symphony, audition, lyrical, sustained

This public reference contains work information and original practice notes. It does not publish the excerpt notation or grant permission to copy a score. Score access and rights depend on the edition and jurisdiction.

## Related excerpts

- [Beethoven: Eroica, III, Scherzo](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/violin/beethoven-3-iii), Fast, quiet, and relentlessly rhythmic. The scherzo opens sempre pianissimo, which is where most of the difficulty lives. Advanced; Classical; Treble clef. Standard audition excerpt.
- [Mozart: Symphony No. 39, II, Andante](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/violin/mozart-39-ii), The standard classical-style test. Nothing here is technically hard, which is exactly why it is difficult, every choice of bow, note length, and dynamic is audible. Advanced; Classical; Treble clef. Standard audition excerpt.
- [Mozart: Haffner Symphony, IV, Presto](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/violin/mozart-35-iv), A fast, light classical finale that tests clarity at speed. The instruction in the score is famously to play it as fast as possible. Advanced; Classical; Treble clef. Standard audition excerpt.

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/violin/beethoven-9-iii