Beethoven’s life expressed in music
The extraordinary power of music. What is it, really? It is almost impossible to put into words: something about spiritual and emotional renewal, comfort for sorrow and hypercharge for jubilation, a guiding light through the ups and downs of a turbulent world. It needs to be experienced, heard and felt to be understood.
The Honolulu Symphony, with soprano Olivia Gorra, mezzo-soprano Gigi Mitchell-Velasco, tenor Mark Panuccio and bass-baritone Eric Owens:
» In concert: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday
» Place: Blaisdell Concert Hall
» Tickets: $14 to $79, with 50 percent discount for military and 20 percent for seniors and students. Available at Ticketmaster outlets.
» Call: 792-2000 or visit www.honolulusymphony.com
And no single piece of music is better suited to do that than Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
Beethoven was 54 when his last symphony, the Ninth, was first performed. If anybody needed to experience all the properties listed above, it was Ludwig van Beethoven himself.
Although considered the greatest living composer of his time, he had never secured sufficient financial support to allow him to live and work at ease. His business affairs were a constant mess, he was in poor health and he had alienated many friends and potential sponsors.
The greatest possible catastrophe for a musician -- deafness -- had struck him 25 years earlier and had made him angry, bitter and antisocial.
Yet, at that point in his life, he was able to write music that has become the universal hymn of hope, love and joy. It is virtually the only piece of art that can clearly communicate its message to every person on the planet, no matter what age, language, race or religion. It is as if Beethoven captured the single shared emotion of all mankind and gave it a name.
How was it possible that a man so miserable could elevate his mind to such eternal realms of beauty and perfection?
"You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind, your mind is a palace." This quote from "Angela's Ashes," the novel by Frank McCourt, explains some of it.
Beethoven, after 25 years of deafness and isolation, was living in the palace of his own mind, able to see things, hear things, imagine things that were not of this world -- and then he showed us what might be possible.
Today, more than ever, I am reminded of this extraordinary power of music. Because my friends in the Honolulu Symphony will go onstage with me this week and bring that message of hope to you, even though our beloved orchestra is in "poor health." Because despite our "broken shoes," we will share the divine emotion of joy. Because each one of us will enter the palace of Beethoven's mind for a few precious moments. And we will take you with us.
Andreas Delfs is principal conductor of the Honolulu Symphony.