Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 has once again been crowned Australia's greatest piece of classical music, topping the ABC Classic 100 for the fifth time in 2026. This enduring appeal is not just due to its catchy tune and brilliant instrument interplay, but also because it has inspired generations of composers. The symphony's mystique is heightened by the difficulty of writing symphonies and the so-called 'curse of the ninth', which has affected several well-known composers. However, the real issue isn't the number of symphonies, but the support structures that determine who gets to write them. Women composers, in particular, have faced significant barriers to having their symphonies heard, with many of their works lost to history. Despite these obstacles, women like Emilie Mayer, Louise Farrenc, and Alice Mary Smith persevered, drawing inspiration from Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 while developing their own distinctive voices. Today's composers also need support to write new symphonies, with Le Brocq and Hughes arguing that we should support them with time, financial investment, and orchestras willing to back them up. The case for symphonies beyond Beethoven is strong, and exploring the breadth of symphonic music beyond Beethoven can be done by tuning in to ABC Classic.
