Orchestras around the world perform Beethoven year in and year out. We know the story of how this goes, and yes, we love it. I love it. I just fear that this is an opportunity to contextualise Beethoven for the here and now, and for a new audience, and a lot of orchestras might be missing it.
In 2020 orchestras around the world are celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven. The guy is one of my favourite composers, but, I’ve got to ask even of myself–what’s going to be new here?
How are orchestras celebrating? With a cycle of the piano concertos? With a cycle of the symphonies?
What I want to know is how orchestras are contextualising the composers output? And, are they? Have they thought about building an experience around the symphonies that engages with their audiences, and ties them to something that reflects today?
Yes, there is a universality to what Beethoven’s music has to offer, but how is that being amplified in our context? How is The Third giving the finger to modern politics and other “leaders” who are back-pedalling our society. Beethoven famously removed the dedication to Napoleon upon learning that his hero who represented the ideals of “freedom of the people” had crowned himself Emperor of France. He was so disgruntled by this news that he erased its dedication so violently it’s rumoured that he tore holes in the front page of the manuscript.
It’s great to see that the Pastoral Project is drawing attention to The Sixth and its themes of nature and beauty. Orchestras around the world have joined this front to bring focus to the global threat of environmental warming. In Australia so far we have the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra taking part.
How is The Ninth being contextualised as a modern ode to the future? An ode to hope and overcoming the current trials and tribulations that face our world? How is it rising to include people? Our communities, our voices in the fight to build a new and brave future? What an ending to a Beethoven cycle to see something like that take shape. To see community (and, a new community for our orchestras) rally around it as a force of inspiration and action–to find something tangible in the abstract. Invite those that don’t know how to sing to sing, to add their voice – Beethoven couldn’t hear the bloody thing anyway. Imagine our halls full of audiences on their feet to sing the great “Ode to Joy” with their orchestra in solidarity and inclusion.
Orchestras around the world perform Beethoven year in and year out. We know the story of how this goes, and yes, we love it. I love it. I just fear that this is an opportunity to contextualise Beethoven for the here and now, and for a new audience, and a lot of orchestras might be missing it. It’s not like we’re offering anything new to our existing audiences by programming Beethoven, so how are we offering something new and genuine to attract a new audience and demonstrate how the music of Beethoven is still relevant today? Isn’t that true cause for celebration?
How might this be an opportunity to speak the language of a future generation? How might this be an opportunity to help orchestras attract support from a generation who don’t see the value in continually performing and celebrating the music of dead white men?
How could Beethoven challenge this perception and be a vehicle for social change and awareness? One of the great challenges for our orchestras is going to be engaging with a purpose driven generation who want to donate their time and money to causes that make an impact in their communities. How could this celebration play a role in that?
Beethoven was an upstart. Beethoven was a revolutionary. He shifted the course of musical history singlehandedly. It’s only fitting that in the spirit of LvB that we do this for his 250th year, no? I think he’d be proud to see his music continue to make a rebirth in meaning and relevance.
I know what the composer means to the history of music. BUT, just BUT … What is the responsibility of orchestras in the 21st Century to take this and do something with it? If it’s just another excuse to put on a Beethoven Festival for our existing audiences, what about living composers out there who have something very real to say that speaks to today in a visceral way?
Just some food for thought.
Kane Moroney 