In this short video, Riccardo Muti, music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and members of the CSO discuss the meaning and significance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. CSO trumpet John Hagstrom calls the Ninth the composer’s “song of humanity,” while Muti describes it as “the work of a divine architect.”

Recorded at Orchestra Hall on Sept. 18 under Muti, the CSO’s performance of Beethoven’s Ninth will be streamed free of charge online beginning May 7.

The concert features Muti, the CSO, the Chicago Symphony Chorus (prepared by Chorus Director Duain Wolfe), and vocal soloists soprano Camilla Nylund, mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova, tenor Matthew Polenzani and bass-baritone Eric Owens. The performance, which opened the CSO’s 2014/15 season, will be available at cso.org/Beethoven9, RiccardoMutiMusic.com, and on the CSO’s social media channels including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.