Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 & Tan Dun's "Choral Concerto: Nine" | Livestream

Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 is a milestone in music history. And this year, it celebrates its 200th birthday. At the 2024 Beethovenfest Bonn, this masterpiece will be performed alongside a new piece entitled "Choral Concerto: Nine," by Tan Dun, who will conduct the Bundesjugendorchester (National Youth Orchestra of Germany) and the World Youth Choir at the Bonn Opera House. The soloists are Iris Hendrickx (soprano), Jo-Pei Weng (alto), Xavier Moreno (tenor), and Johannes Schendel (bass).

(01:01) TAN DUN: "Choral Concerto: Nine", I. Nine. Allegro ma non troppo e un poco maestoso
(16:32) TAN DUN: "Choral Concerto: Nine", II. Wine. Molto vivace
(22:07) TAN DUN: "Choral Concerto: Nine", III. Time

(33:25) BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9, I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
(47:18) BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9, II. Molto vivace
(56:37) BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9, III. Adagio molto e cantabile
(1:09:02) BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9, IV. Finale

BUNDESJUGENDORCHESTER
WORLD YOUTH CHOIR
TAN DUN | Conductor

IRIS HENDRICKX | Soprano
JO-PEI WENG | Alto
XAVIER MORENO | Tenor
JOHANNES SCHENDEL | Bass

Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 continues to represent certain values: the vision of cohesion—initially inspired by the revolutionary French concept of “fraternité”, or brotherhood, more commonly referred to as “solidarity” today. Even just hearing the “melody of joy” (or Ode to Joy) immediately brings these words to mind. In Friedrich Schiller's poem, many other words are used to express a desire to overcome divisions in hopes for creating a peaceful world. The cry “Seyd umschlungen Millionen!” or “This kiss to the whole world!” extends to everyone. Nature, joy, and love, are turned into meaningful elements of existence. The stars and living creatures are also included in this declaration—even the worm is extended the gift of love. Friendship is also praised as a special value: “Wem der große Wurf gelungen, / Eines Freundes Freund zu seyn” can be interpreted as a guide to the pursuit of happiness, not just for individuals, but for the international community. Perhaps this is why Beethoven's Ninth is so popular around the world, as an expression of a positive global outlook that is not tied to a particular religion or ideology.

In his “Choral Concerto: Nine,” the Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun takes a very similar approach to Beethoven—including the use of Italian tempo markings in the first two movements. When listening to the Ninth, he noted: “When I hear Schiller's words, he proclaims that all people are brothers and sisters and that all creatures live together in this one world. Chinese philosophers said exactly that 2,500 years ago and felt the same way. So, there is a deep connection between these two worlds.” And yet some things are different: the three movements of the new composition are entitled “Nine”, “Wine” and “Time.” Tan Dun explains further: “The Chinese words for these are ‘Jiu’, ‘Jiu’ and ‘Jiu,’ which are all pronounced the same way. These three layers are also connected in an interesting way: They unite the sounds of nature, the sounds of the spirit, and the sound of time to create eternal peace.” While joy takes center stage during the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Tan Dun emphasizes the element of peace, turning his finale as an “Ode to Peace”.

Tan Dun was born in 1957 in a village located in the Chinese province of Hunan. As a child, he was fascinated by the rituals and ceremonies of the village shamans, in which the sounds of water, stones and other natural objects played a role. Because of the Cultural Revolution, he was initially unable to pursue his musical interests in China and, in 1974, began to work as a rice farmer. On the side, he practiced traditional Chinese string instruments. As a violinist and arranger of traditional Peking Opera, he ended up in the capital, where he was finally able to study composition at the Central Conservatory in Peking from 1977 to 1983. He went to New York City to pursue his doctorate in 1986 Columbia University, which he completed in 1993. There, he was deeply inspired by John Cage, Philip Glass, and Steve Reich, among other artists. In his own compositions, he bridges the gap between European and Asian traditions. As a conductor, he works with prestigious orchestras around the world.

Tan Dun appears courtesy of Decca Classics.

© 2024 DEUTSCHE WELLE

Thumbnail photo: © Stephan Rabold

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