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Music is always there
Saw an inspiring story on the news today about a pianist at the Polish border who has been playing music for the refugees as they escape the horror unfolding in Ukraine. A Ukranian woman coming across from Ukraine stopped to play some songs on his piano. She played Queen’s “We Are The Champions”; so heartwarming.
Through the ages music is always there providing solace and hope in times of great tribulation.
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29 Replies
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A woman plays piano in Lviv Ukraine as people flock to the train station trying to escape. -
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The Piano Man playing for refugees at the border:
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Very inspiring Jung
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Thanks for watching Tom.
A slice of heaven during dark times in a bomb shelter.
I think there is no higher calling and purpose for music and musicians than this, to fill the darkness with light! The brief moment of beauty like this can inspire incredible hope, courage, and strength to keep going, to survive. When you can reach deep inside a person and make them feel like this, that is super natural, from heaven.
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Beautiful post Jung. It reminds me of the musicians playing while the Titanic sank.
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Thanks Diana. On the Titanic no one believed it would sink, as all the news touted the great Titanic as unsinkable, so they had musicians playing to keep the guests entertained while they waited for another ship to come to it’s aid, unaware the ship was actually sinking.
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I was watching this performance of “Ode To Joy” today and was really moved given the conflict in Ukraine that is threatening Europe and all of the free world. This was a 2019 performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 by the European Union Youth Orchestra at the Berlin’s Konzerthaus.
It was packed inside, and a huge crowd formed outside the theater where they put up speakers and big screen TV to watch the orchestra. At the end, the conductor went outside, and had the big crowd in the square sing along to the Anthem of Europe (Ode To Joy). I think the spirit of that unity, freedom, and peace is needed today more than ever.
Nothing can transcend borders, politics, ideologies, and lust for power like music can, the international language. Music has the power to unite the world, even for a brief moment.
Lyrics in English for “Ode to Joy”
(“Ode An Die Freude”)
Beethoven’s 9th SymphonyO friends, no more these sounds!
Let us sing more cheerful songs,
more full of joy!Joy, bright spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire-inspired we tread
Thy sanctuary.Thy magic power re-unites
All that custom has divided,
All men become brothers
Under the sway of thy gentle wings.Whoever has created
An abiding friendship,
Or has won
A true and loving wife,
All who can call at least one soul theirs,
Join in our song of praise;
But any who cannot must creep tearfully
Away from our circle.All creatures drink of joy
At nature’s breast.
Just and unjust
Alike taste of her gift;She gave us kisses and the fruit of the vine,
A tried friend to the end.
Even the worm can feel contentment,
And the cherub stands before God!Gladly, like the heavenly bodies
Which He set on their courses
Through the splendor of the firmament;
Thus, brothers, you should run your race,
As a hero going to conquest.You millions, I embrace you.
This kiss is for all the world!Brothers, above the starry canopy
There must dwell a loving Father.Do you fall in worship, you millions?
World, do you know your creator?Seek him in the heavens;
Above the stars must He dwell. -
If you want to watch the whole symphony, here is the link.
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 | Vasily Petrenko & the European Union Youth Orchestra (complete symphony)
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Thanks for the translation of Ode to Joy. This piece is very moving with or without singing. I think I will add it to my skiing playlist.
Have you ever seen this one?
https://youtu.be/-W-hH1r7n5khttps://youtu.be/-W-hH1r7n5k
JP
When you said,”music can fill the darkness with light” I immediately thought of Songbird. I guess MLT has become part of my psyche.
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Hi JP! For the skiing, I think you might like the 2nd movement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony as well! If you add a beat and drums to it, and substitute the violins with electric guitar, I think you are in the realm of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. This part gives me as much energy and excitement as any powerful rock and roll piece. The counterpoint and build up is incredible, and the drum work is not bad too, for something 250 years old! ????????
That video of Ode To Joy was brilliant, with that little girl with a flute playing Ode To Joy (4th movement of the 9th), joined in by the cello, and then the rest of the orchestra come out of the woodworks. Loved it, thanks.
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I agree, Songbird is a brilliant ray of beauty and hope that lifts you up out of darkness. Captures all the emotional breadth of an hour long symphony in 4 minutes. That’s why it’s a masterpiece.
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Thanks for the recommendation, Jung. This definitely passes the ski test. I can’t wait. I also checked out this ‘cover’ of the 2nd movement
https://youtu.be/a8FnmdNi-Xchttps://youtu.be/a8FnmdNi-Xc
It’s so kool how the conductor’s face hints at each note’s arrival. Some of the musicians show that same emotion on their faces. I can see he is more of a director like Rudi in the I Wanna Kiss You BTS.
You can certainly tell it’s a strenuous workout for each and everyone of them. I find myself marveling at the rests. They all pause at once and then begin at the same beat and tempo. Lisa and Mona can do this perfectly as we’ve seen in some Duo Sessions.
In World Cup Ski racing, the difference between first and second place can be measured in hundredths of seconds. Hey, how did the race go? I lost by fifteen hundredths of a second. Imagine if the skiers were told they had to hit certain gates at the same time, and then fall back and catch back up. On top of that, they have to finish at the exact same time.
Orchestras are so amazing.
JP
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Hi JP, thanks for the video, what a performance of the 2nd movement of the 9th Symphony. So much energy and passion from the conductor to every single musician. The precise coordination with which the entire Orchestra plays so tightly is amazing indeed. That energy and passion one feels from an incredible rock performance is every bit as present here.
I like your analogy with the ski racers and how tight the tolerance between 1st and 2nd place can be. In music there is that definite dynamic and precision going on too.
I love in MLTs WOTT sometimes when Mona and Lisa articulate an instrumental move or rhythm in the music like drums or guitars part as they listen, they are so precise, you get a sense of their top notch musical prowess. That’s why their take and reaction to the music is so insightful. It’s like NASCAR’s Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt talking about hanging a curve at Talladega at 200 MPH, drafting with cars 6 inches off their bumpers!
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