Do you remember the first time you heard a live performance of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy?” It
is a magnificent experience that usually brings the audience to their feet! Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony was based on the poem, “Ode to Joy” written by Friedrich Schiller in 1785. Many
musicologists consider the Ninth to be one of the “supreme achievements in the history of
music.” When the nearly deaf Beethoven included four solo voices and a chorus in the fourth
movement, he was the first major composer to include voices in a symphony.
The lyrics that are indelibly imprinted in my memory are the revised words, now known as the
poem and hymn “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” that Henry van Dyke wrote in 1907. Van Dyke
attributed the Berkshire Mountains with inspiring his joy when he served as guest preacher at
Williams College.
And yet there is something in “Ode to Joy” that goes beyond the masterful musical score and
resounding lyrics. The majesty of “Ode to Joy” also arises from the collective performances of
the many musicians, each a master of their unique instrument, whether it is one of the
woodwinds, the strings, the brass or percussion instruments or their own voice. The conductor
weaves all of these individual performances together into a single majestic performance with
its high energy, many harmonies, and layers of sound.
What elevates a performance of “Ode to Joy” from the mundane to magnificent is that each
musician is bringing forth something from deep within their soul, from the God within them.
They are performing a symphony written by a preeminent composer and accomplished poet.
They have practiced and practiced until they have each become a master of their instrument
with their own unique style. They are playing an instrument that has been carefully designed
and crafted by the instrument maker. They are using sound systems and lighting designed by
electronic specialists. They are playing in a concert hall that has been designed to have great
acoustics, artistic beauty and comfortable seating. All of these individual performers and
technicians, the building architect and construction contractor, and even the ushers, ticket
sellers and concessionaires, have come together to create a great experience. The conductor
blends it all together, understanding and valuing the contribution that each specialist brings to
the experience.
This coming together in harmony and joy represents community and belonging at its highest
level. It is truly an “Ode to Joy!”
Love and light,
Rev. Pam
