Beethoven Performance Saturday...and a Marathon

Every Tuesday night since mid-January I have been in rehearsals for


Ludwig Von Beethoven

 

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

Tomorrow (Saturday, April 20) is the

big day. Our performance is at

8:00p.m. CDT. You can watch it "live"

at music.ou.edu, once there in the

middle of the page, is a tab that says

concerts and events. Click on it and

 on the next page is the link to take

 you to “live streaming”.

 

Last night was the first time that all the choirs working on it have come together along with the orchestra. All have worked hard on their music along with learning the German pronunciation.

What makes this performance so special are several things. This was Beethoven's last major work. He had totally lost his hearing by this time, but the words to “Ode to Joy” have special meaning even in today’s culture. Can you imagine having all this music in your head and not being able to hear it and yet put it all together and it becomes a glorious work? What genius!

18 years ago today, April 19th, 1995 Timothy McVeigh bombed

the Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing

168 people including 19 children under the age of 6 and wounding

680 others . This city, state and nation came together and bonded

like no other.

Chairs at the Oklahoma City Memorial

2002 Terrorists killed thousands in bringing down the World Trade

Towers, flying into the Pentagon and a lone field in Pennsylvania.

Again Americans and people around the world came together and

bonded making the American Spirit stronger. This past Monday 2

young terrorists bombed the Boston Marathon killing 3, maiming

and injuring over 175 people. More were killed in the capture of

one of the terrorist; the other was killed in a shoot-out. Again this

week Americans rose to the challenge and we held each other as

brothers. No color, no religion, no creed or politics but as one nation

 united.

Beethoven writes "All mankind are brothers plighted where thy

gentle wings abide. O ye millions I embrace ye! Here's a joyful kiss a

 kiss for all! Brothers o'er yon starry sphere, Sure there dwells a

loving Father. O ye millions, I embrace ye! God descended, God

descended."

Is it providence that we sing this work this weekend? It's a work so appropriate for this space, this time, yet it was chosen months ago for this performance, who could have known how badly these words are needed. It brings hope, healing, love and fills our hearts with joy.

Next weekend is the Oklahoma City Memorial Run. The Boston

Marathoners have been invited here to finish their race. The

marathon runners here are showing their solidarity by wearing red

sox’s for the run.

For all of you out there, we are only strong if we stand together, so

in closing…Here's a joyful kiss, a kiss for all!

630 Days and counting!