

Beethoven's Ode to Joy
He had been profoundly deaf for years. But he also suffered from tinnitus. He heard a persistent discordant buzzing, constantly.
His muse was music, from a young age. Before his afflictions, he was devoted to music and suffered for it. His Grandfather was a noted musician. His father could sing, but was a drunk. His father began teaching him music from age 4, hoping he would emulate Mozart. Beethoven played music to raise money for his dad.
Beethoven was boisterous and had many friends. At age 17, Beethoven travelled from Bonn to Vienna to work with Mozart. Beethoven cut short his trip as his mother was sick. But, 5 years later, he left for Vienna again, and learned from Haydn.
At age 28, in 1798, Beethoven became aware of tinnitus and growing deafness. At first, the upper registers grew faint. The tinnitus was debilitating. He sought cures.
At age 32, in 1802, Beethoven wrote of his thoughts of suicide from his growing
Deafness. He had been advised there were no cures, and that his deafness would grow worse.
At age 42, Beethoven wrote his 8th Symphony and retired from Symphony writing as he was distracted by ill health and family. His nephew Karl, he tried to help, but Karl had an independent spirit.
Beethoven had retired from Symphony work, but he continued with music and wrote prolifically. Even so, he was approached to write a symphony based around an artwork. It appealed to him.
To showcase his Symphony, which featured voices used as instruments, Beethoven mentored a young female soloist.
On 7th May 1824, Ludwig van Beethoven directed his 9th Symphony. He had been profoundly deaf at this time, and his orchestra was actually directed by another, off stage. Beethoven was a few measures behind come the finale and that young female soloist turned him around so he could see the applause. It was the first recorded Mexican Wave, with gentlemen throwing their hats in the air.
Here are the words, and it is worth noting why Beethoven attempted the work.
Oh friends, not these sounds! Let us instead strike up more pleasing and more joyful ones!
Joy!
Joy!
These words echoed his 1806 “"Let your deafness no longer be a secret – even in art."” and “"seize Fate by the throat; it shall certainly not crush me completely"”
Ode to Joy has become Europe’s official anthem.
The ninth Symphony of Beethoven was the first to use voices as instruments, rather than narrative.
More than the music of the Symphony was the spirit of Beethoven. He had lost his love and joy with his hearing. But that was not the end of the conversation. People talk about faith and hope in God. Beethoven knew he would not experience his joys of life. But he kept la joie de vivre. Like many of his time, Beethoven was not profoundly religious.
Giuseppe Verdi, 1878 “The alpha and omega is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, marvellous in the first three movements, very badly set in the last. No one will ever approach the sublimity of the first movement, but it will be an easy task to write as badly for voices as in the last movement. And supported by the authority of Beethoven, they will all shout: "That's the way to do it..."” Did Verdi miss that the instrument Beethoven used, the voice, was different to other musical instruments?
https://voiceddb.locals.com/post/2204775/about-the-deaf-musicians-greatest-work
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowin' and blowin' up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell rock
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bell chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle...
David Daniel Ball calls himself the Conservative Voice.
I'm a teacher with three decades experience teaching math to high school kids.I also work with first graders and kids in between first grade and high school. I know the legends of why Hypatia's dad is remembered through his contribution to Math theory. And I know the legend of why followers of Godel had thought he had disproved God's existence.
I'm not a preacher, but I am a Christian who has written over 28 books all of which include some reference to my faith. Twelve blog books on world history and current affairs, detailing world events , births and marriages on each day of the year, organised by month. Twelve books on the background to and history of Bible Quotes. One Bible quote per day for a year. An intro to a science fiction series I'm planning, post apocalyptic cyber punk. An autobiography with short story collections.
I'm known in Australia for my failure as a whistleblower over the negligence death of a school boy. ...
Remember Patrick Henry's words: "Give me liberty or give me death." Don't let illusions of impossibility silence you—act today to ensure free speech endures for tomorrow. What's one step you'll take right now?
Free speech has been challenged before. In the US, World War I and World War II imposed wartime restrictions. The prolonged nature of the Vietnam War made such restrictions obvious, as did the war in Afghanistan. However, the failure of the press to remain free has led to remarkable academic debate. It is now claimed—and widely accepted—that free speech is illusory and not truly possible. Minor restrictions on style are said to mean that speech was never free. This view is Orwellian. What happened?
In antiquity, was there free speech in Athens when Socrates was ordered to leave? He drank poison rather than accept exile, but he had had his say. When Athens defeated Persia at sea, scuttling an invasion plan, the successful generals were ...
How has meditating on God's precepts brought new life to your spirit today?
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What exactly have the Palestinians done to demonstrate they’re ready for a state?
Some observations:
📷 There are still 50 hostages in Gaza
📷 They refuse every ceasefire proposal
📷 The Palestinian Authority hasn’t held elections since 2006
📷 Corruption is rampant
📷 Children are taught to glorify terrorism
📷 There’s no accountability, no rule of law, and no democratic institutions
So tell us, Emmanuel Macron: what part of this looks like a state-in-waiting?