The Austrian conductor, Herbert von Karajan, took charge of the musical arrangement, orchestration and official performance of the European anthem. In this letter dated 24 July 1971, Lujo Toncic-Sorinj, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, asks Herbert von Karajan to conduct the official version of the European anthem, Ode to Joy, by Ludwig van Beethoven. On 12 August, von Karajan’s manager expresses the conductor’s interest in this proposal.