[2] The premiere performance seems to have been a rather troubled one; according to the composer's secretary, Anton Schindler, it "simply fell apart", a result most likely attributable to insufficient rehearsal time.

[3] In Ignaz von Seyfried's words:[4][5] When the master brought out his orchestral Fantasia with choruses, he arranged with me at the somewhat hurried rehearsal, with wet[6] voice-parts as usual, that the second variation should be played without repeat.

A trifle too late, the Concertmaster, Unrath, noticed the mistake, looked in surprise at his lost companions, stopped playing and called out dryly: 'Again!'

The words sung at this point are (for the Choral Fantasy) "Lieb und Kraft" ("love and strength") and (for the Ninth Symphony) "Über'm Sternenzelt!

"[8] The Choral Fantasy theme is itself taken from an earlier work by Beethoven: it is a slightly modified version of the composer's "Seufzer eines Ungeliebten – Gegenliebe,” a lied for high voice and piano written c.

The main part of the piece, marked "Finale", begins with a march-like motive (Allegro) played by the cellos and basses, alternating with recitative-like interjections from the piano.

The music eventually brightens into C major and the solo piano introduces the principal theme (meno allegro) discussed above.

Variations on the theme are then played by gradually increasing contingents of instruments: a solo flute, two oboes, a trio of two clarinets and bassoon, and string quartet.

A full orchestral version of the theme played at a forte dynamic leads to the re-entry of the piano and to what seems at first like a postlude to this variation set, but that once again turns toward the dominant.

The allegro molto soon takes on a developmental quality with a series of modulations, the strings playing phrases of the theme accompanied by rapid broken chords on the solo piano.

This ends with a call-and-response section between double reeds, horn, and piano, and leads without break into the key of F major and the third variation on the main theme, Marcia (assai vivace).

After a prolonged dominant pedal and arpeggios from the soloist the chorus, two solo sopranos sing the main theme, followed by a variation featuring a trio of men's voices.

The music gains excitement and eventually breaks into an accelerated coda (Presto) with all forces joining to bring the piece to a triumphant close.

Nehmt denn hin, ihr schönen Seelen, froh die Gaben schöner Kunst Wenn sich Lieb und Kraft vermählen, lohnt den Menschen Göttergunst.

Becher's text, inspired by Beethoven's explicit permission to change the lyrics, is an ode to peace that reflects the post-war atmosphere.