Symphony No. 9: (Second Movement--Scherzo)

It has been said that Beethoven preferred his later works to his earlier ones and was continually dedicated to the exploration of new ideas. The inclusion of a Scherzo as the second movement of the Ninth was itself a new idea. The freely composed, stretto-like connecting sections are designed to maintain a difficulty level consistent with the abilities of most middle- and high-school level orchestras.