As my follow-up to “I’m not Hitler” nears 2,500 words, I’m going to buy a little more time by giving you yet another music break.
You probably know I love Beethoven. Easily my favorite classical composer. And although I’ve told you before here that the 4th movement of his 5th symphony is the greatest piece of music ever written, it’s not the one I’d like to see performed live.
That honor goes to his 9th. I can think of nothing more powerful in the concert hall than this piece of music. I remember reading of the first time it was performed — when a chorale piece was not normally associated with a symphony — and I thought, “that must have been so cool to see something like that for the first time.” I would have loved to have been there.
And I’m sure it’s not an easy thing to get together a few hundred musicians for a performance like this, so being anywhere around where the 9th is being performed in all its glory must be a hard ticket to get. But if I ever get a chance, this is definitely something that would be on my bucket list…